High Court Approves Bail for Raja Peter in Ex-Minister Munda’s Murder
After six years in custody, Gopal Singh Patar alias Raja Peter, accused in the Ramesh Singh Munda murder case, secures bail from the High Court with specific conditions.
RANCHI – In a significant development, Naxalite Kundan Pahan, a key figure in the same case, surrendered to the state police on May 27, 2017.
Two days later, on October 7, 2017, Raja Peter’s bodyguard, Sheshnath Singh Kharwar, was apprehended.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) assumed control of the investigation on June 28, 2017, nine years after the initial incident.
Despite earlier inquiries by the Ranchi Police and CID, the case remained unresolved until the NIA’s involvement.
Raja Peter, identified as the primary conspirator in the assassination of former minister Ramesh Singh Munda, has been in jail since his arrest by the NIA on October 9, 2017.
The court, during the bail hearing, was informed that Raja Peter had already spent over six years in custody and faced a large number of witnesses, necessitating the consideration for bail.
The Supreme Court had previously dismissed Raja Peter’s bail petition based on merit, following two rejections by the Jharkhand High Court.
Justice S Chandrashekhar’s division bench at the High Court has now granted Raja Peter bail under specific conditions, considering his prolonged custody and the extensive witness list.
This decision comes after a long judicial process, with the case dating back to July 9, 2008, when Ramesh Singh Munda and three others were fatally shot at SS High School in Bundu.
