Patna, Jan. 3: A live crude bomb was detected and defused which was later defused by security men on the civil court premises in Biharsharif on Monday.

Police sources said the bomb was recovered from near the office of the additional district and sessions judge (V).

Superintendent of police, Nalanda, Jitendra Singh Rana said the bomb was detected after information about it was given by Munna Singh, an accused in a murder case and who is currently behind bars. Rana said that Munna was supposed to be produced in the court on Monday and a witness was to come from Jharkhand to testify against him. Rana said that Munna told the police that the witness had planted a bomb in order to kill him. “It appears that the bomb had been planted by Munna’s men in order to defame the witness,” Rana said, stressing that policemen reached the premises on time and defused the bomb.

He said that further investigations are being made into the matter. The recovery of the bomb triggered panic on the premises and court work was held up for some time.