Members of the Vaishya Ekta Manch agitate in front of the district collectorate. Picture Uma Shanker Dubey

Jamshedpur, June 10: Criminal-turned-politician from Bihar Rama Singh was today remanded in judicial custody in the city.

Singh, who represents the Mainar Assembly segment in Vaishali district of Bihar, was produced before fast-track court IX of M.C. Verma today in connection with a murder case registered with the Sakchi police in October 1989.

A team of police officials left for Vaishali yesterday to bring the MLA to the city after East Singhbhum superintendent of police Arun Oraon was informed of Singh’s arrest.

The Mainar MLA from the Lok Jan Shakti Party was remanded in judicial custody in connection with the Umesh Tiwary murder case.

In 1994, he had obtained bail from Ranchi High Court in connection to the murder case but had not turned up in court later. As a result the court had issued an arrest warrant against him.

Rama Singh is also accused in the triple-murder case registered with the Jugsalai police and also in an Arms Act case registered with there.

Singh is also accused in a case of attempted murder for firing at his underworld rival Bhalua Chowdhary in Sakchi area in 1990.

Apart from the criminal cases in the steel city, the Lok Jan Shakti Party leader is wanted by the police in Ranchi, Hazaribagh and Chhattisgarh.

After being produced in the MC Verma court, the MLA was sent to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College Hospital for a check-up before being lodged in Sakchi Jail.

Soon after being produced in court, the leader of the Lok Jan Shakti Party was surrounded by his supporters on the court premises.

Curious onlookers, too, gathered around the court for a glimpse of Singh, who was in white kurta-pyjama and sports shoes. He looked composed as he made his way into the court.

Speaking briefly before being whisked away by the police, Singh pleaded ignorance about knowing criminal Akhilesh Singh.

The city police had accused the Bihar MLA of providing shelter to Akhilesh, who is wanted in several cases of murder and extortion.

The MLA said he is a politician and could give shelter to any needy person. “I do not know who is Akhilesh Singh. If you can bring him to me then I could say whether I gave him shelter or not,” he said. The Bihar MLA also criticised RJD president Laloo Prasad Yadav for ruining Bihar by his misrule.

A senior police official said the police were yet to make up their minds whether to take Rama Singh in police remand or grill him at Sakchi Jail. “We will question him about Akhilesh Singh and his associates,” the official said.

“Rama Singh must be knowing the whereabouts of Akhilesh Singh and his associate Ranjit Chowdhary,” he added.