Patna: Senior Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and four-time MP Prabhunath Singh was sentenced to life by a Hazaribagh court, which found him guilty for murder of the then MLA Ashok Singh in 1995.

Additional district judge Surendra Sharma pronounced the punishment on Tuesday.

The court convicted him, along with his brother Dinanath Singh and a former mukhiya, Ritesh Singh, on May 18 but had reserved its order on the quantum of punishment.

The RJD leader and his brother were arrested soon after the court found them guilty and are now lodged in Hazaribagh Central Jail.

The case dates back to 1995 when Masrakh MLA Ashok Singh was shot dead in broad daylight at his official residence in Patna.

Chandni Devi, wife of Ashok Singh, was happy with the judgement. “We have fought against the entire system for years. Prabhunath Singh tried to buy us off. He also put pressure on me, threatened me but money doesn't work every time.”

Relatives of Ashok Singh blamed Prabhunath Singh and his henchmen for the murder. Initially the case was heard in Patna but the Supreme Court transferred the case to Hazaribagh, thus accepting the plea of relatives of the slain MLA who feared Prabhunath Singh could influence court proceedings.

Prabhunath Singh is considered to be close to RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav and has stood by his side as the latter faces corruption charges. He represented the Maharajganj constituency of Bihar from 2004-2009 in the Lok Sabha. He was elected on a JD(U) ticket but switched side to the RJD later on.