Patna: A Begusarai court on Saturday rejected the anticipatory bail petition of Chandeshwar Prasad Verma, husband of former social welfare minister Kumari Manju Verma, in connection with a case lodged under the Arms Act.

The court of additional district and sessions judge-V turned down the bail plea of Chandeshwar Verma, a former MLC, after hearing the argument in the case. Chandeshwar and her former minister wife Kumari Manju Verma have been made accused in an Arms Act case lodged with the Cheria Bariarpur police station in Begusarai district.

The case against the couple was registered on the statement of a deputy superintendent of police with the CBI. Officials of the investigating agency had seized 50 live cartridges, including a few of prohibited calibre, during search of their Arjun Tola residence in Begusarai district on August 17.

Though the Cheria Bariarpur police immediately lodged a complaint against the couple, no action was taken against them. Begusarai superintendent of police (SP) Aditya Kumar had also confirmed that the seized cartridges were illegal and had been sent to the state forensic science laboratory in Patna for ballistic examination. "The report is awaited," he said over phone.

Aditya revealed that a police team has been sent to Jamshedpur to record the statement of the complainant of the case. The CBI DSP, who lodged the complaint, was posted in Jamshedpur. The CBI official had also provided a copy of the seizure list to the Bariarpur police station house officer in Begusarai district.

The SP said that the purpose behind sending the seized cartridges for ballistic examination was to ascertain whether or not they were live.