Patna: The Patna High Court has overturned the acquittal of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Ritlal Yadav in the high-profile Satyanarayan Sinha murder case and ordered a retrial, dealing a major legal setback to the controversial legislator.
In 2023, a special MP-MLA court in Patna had acquitted Yadav and several co-accused, citing lack of evidence. However, the High Court acted on a petition filed by Asha Sinha, former Danapur BJP MLA and widow of the victim, and directed that the case be reopened and pursued under speedy trial provisions.
Satyanarayan Sinha, husband of Asha Sinha, was shot dead near Jamaluddin Chak in Khagaul on April 30, 2003, the same day the RJD held its “Tel Pilanav, Lathi Ghumavan” rally at Gandhi Maidan in Patna. Yadav, who has a history of criminal cases, was named among the accused.
The High Court had earlier this year issued notices to all the accused before passing its order on the retrial. The case is expected to resume shortly in Patna, reigniting political debate around law, order, and justice in Bihar.
