Ara: Addition district and sessions judge I Ramesh Chandra Dwiwedi on Saturday awarded rigorous life imprisonment to 14 persons and slapped a fine of Rs 55,000 on each in connection with the death of 21 persons owing to consumption of spurious liquor in 2012. The court also awarded a two-year rigorous imprisonment to one person and slapped a fine of Rs 2,000 on him.

On July 24, the court had convicted all 15 in the liquor case and had fixed July 26 for the pronouncement of the quantum of punishment. But it had deferred the date on the request of the advocates of the defenders and fixed July 28 for the same. On July 26, one of the convicts, Rakesh Kumar Singh, threatened the special public prosecutor, Satyendra Kumar Singh, with dire consequences in the open court. The Bhojpur district administration had cordoned off the court premises since Saturday in view of the announcement of the judgment. Cops in plainclothes were also deployed.

At least 21 persons belonging to the Mahadalit community, including five women, had died, while over two dozen had fallen ill in Anaith locality under the jurisdiction of Nawada police station on December 7, 2012. The deaths took place over three consecutive days and the incident had sent ripples in the administrative and political circles. The matter had also echoed in the Assembly and opposition parties had created uproarious scenes there over the death of the Mahadalits and demanded a fair investigation.

Media had reported deaths of at least 39 persons at that time but the police had shown only 21 deaths in its records. Bhojpur SP Awakash Kumar said the police had brought 21 bodies to Ara Sadar Hospital for post-mortem and so those many deaths were confirmed.

After pronouncement of the judgment, Sanjay Singh hailed the verdict but he was innocent and had been implicated.