Begusarai: In a major political and legal development, a special MP MLA court in Bihar sentenced former state Social Welfare Minister Manju Verma and her husband Chandrashekhar Verma to seven years of rigorous imprisonment on Saturday. The conviction comes in an eight year old Arms Act case linked to the recovery of illegal ammunition from their residence.
The controversy dates back to August 2018 when the Central Bureau of Investigation was probing the infamous Muzaffarpur shelter home scandal. During a targeted search operation at the ancestral home of the couple in the Cheria Bariarpur area of Begusarai district, the investigative agency recovered 50 live cartridges of various calibers. The seized ammunition included point 323, 8mm, 7.62, and point 303 bore bullets. Following the recovery, an official First Information Report was registered based on the application of a CBI officer.
Special Judge Brajesh Kumar Singh delivered the final judgement after an extensive legal process that spanned nearly eight years. Public Prosecutor Santosh Kumar stated that the prosecution presented seven key witnesses to establish the charges. The court convicted both accused under the Arms Act of 1959, imposing a fine of Rs 50,000 on each of them alongside the jail term. Failing to pay the financial penalty will result in an additional ten months of incarceration for the couple.
Immediately after the court pronounced the sentence, police forces took the husband and wife into custody and transferred them to the district jail. During the final proceedings, the defense counsel submitted a formal application citing the deteriorating health condition of the former state minister. Acknowledging the medical plea, the judge instructed the local jail superintendent to ensure proper medical care and treatment for her during the custody period.
This verdict has created significant ripples across the political corridors of Bihar. Manju Verma was once a prominent figure in the state cabinet but was forced to step down under immense public pressure when her family was linked to the Muzaffarpur scandal. Despite her personal downfall, her family maintains a strong political footprint, as her son Abhishek Anand currently represents her former Cheria Bariarpur constituency as a sitting elected legislator.
Citizens and legal experts are viewing this strict judicial order as a powerful reinforcement of the rule of law, proving that thorough investigations can hold influential public figures accountable.