Abdul Bari Siddiqui. Telegraph picture

Patna, Jan. 28: Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Abdul Bari Siddiqui has accused the NDA government of being soft on Maoists to gain their support during elections.

“The trial of slain Munger SP K.C. Surendra Babu lasted for over five years. There were 22 witnesses and most of them were policemen. All of them turned hostile during the trial,” said Siddiqui at a press meet on Thursday while reacting to the acquittal of accused persons in the case.

He said that the acquittal makes a mockery of the claims of the Nitish Kumar government about speedy trials and convictions of criminals.

“Why wasn’t this case put on speedy trial?” he asked.

K.C. Surendra Babu and five other policemen were killed on January 5, 2005, at Sonerwa village under Kharagpur police station when they were ambushed by Maoists.

Two separate cases were registered in this incident. In 2010, the Munger court acquitted all the accused persons.

“This case was important and it raises questions on how the police are functioning. Either the police have caught innocent persons in this case or they have helped criminals go scot-free,” said the RJD leader.

He alleged that all the witnesses were made to turn hostile to weaken the case.

Siddiqui pointed out that in the verdict, the judge had made it clear why he had to give such an order.

Reading out the verdict Siddiqui said: “On close scrutiny of the evidence, available on the record, it is manifestly clear that the accused were not named in the FIR and none of the witnesses whispered their names regarding their indulgence in the offence as such.”

He pointed out that one of the key witnesses has said in the court that no inquest report was prepared in his presence and a signature was taken from him on a plain paper.

Siddiqui said that the judge had noted that the investigating officer had not recorded confessional statements from any of the accused persons.

He said that the murder of the SP of Munger had triggered a nationwide uproar. “However, none of the senior officers appeared to have showed interest in the case even when there is a provision in the law for further investigation and reinvestigation,” he said.

Siddiqui said that the trial verdict had demoralised policemen who take on Maoists at the cost of their lives.

The RJD leader, without naming anyone, alleged that several important leaders of the JD (U) were known for their close links with the Maoists.

He alleged that the Nitish government had not only adopted a mild attitude towards the rebels in view of the 2010 Assembly polls but also helped them.

In reply to a question, Siddiqui said it was correct that the cases were registered during the erstwhile RJD government but the NDA government failed to take it to its logical conclusion.

“When this incident happened, our government was in power and the NDA leaders charged us of being soft on Naxalites. Now Nitish Kumar runs the government. He should give an explanation to the people on why the government lost such a crucial case,” he added.