Suspended Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav and five others were convicted on Wednesday by a Patna court in the case pertaining to the rape and confinement of a minor girl at the legislator's residence in Nawada in 2016.

Pronouncing the judgement, the court of special judge-(MP's/MLA's cases)-cum-Additional District and Sessions Judge Parshuram Yadav said the quantum of punishment will be announced on December 21, said Special Public Prosecutor Shyameshwar Dayal.

"The court has held Raj Ballabh guilty of raping a minor girl at his residence on February 6, 2016 under Section 376 of IPC and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act-2012," said a source. The others, which includes three women, have been also been convicted and found guilty of "supplying girls to the MLA as well as luring the victim and keeping her in confinement overnight."

Dayal said the prosecution will request maximum sentence and Raj Ballabh was likely to be disqualified as an MLA following the announcement of punishment.

A case was lodged against Raj Ballabh and others at women police station at Biharsharif following the incident and Raj Ballabh, then a ruling party MLA from Nawada, evaded arrested for over a month. Later, following public outcry over the incident, the RJD suspended Raj Ballabh from the party. He finally surrendered before the court in March 2016 when a proclamation notice was issued against him. The police filed a charge sheet against him in the case the following month.

However, in September 2016, Raj Ballabh was granted bail by Patna high court, though it was cancelled by the Supreme Court two months later citing the grounds that he may influence the investigation.

On behalf of the prosecution, over 20 people deposed against Raj Ballabh apart from submission of some documentary evidences. The court had completed the hearing earlier this month and reserved its judgement for Saturday.The ruling BJP and JD-U legislators have welcomed the court's decision and targeted the RJD over it stating that even the court had convicted their MLA now.