Hazaribagh, May 23: Prabhunath Singh, four-time MP from Maharajganj in Bihar, was today awarded life imprisonment for the murder of Janata Dal MLA Ashok Singh in July 1995.

The court of additional district and sessions judge IX Surendra Sharma had convicted Prabhunath, his brother Dinanath Singh and their nephew Ritesh Singh on May 18.

Today, the court premises started to fill up from 10am with Prabhunath's supporters and relatives, including his brother Kedar Singh. The hearing was conducted via videoconference with the Loknayak Jai Prakash Narayan Central Jail in Hazaribagh. The court pronounced the sentences around 11.40am.

Prabhunath had woken up at 5am in special cell No. 9 where he is lodged in the Hazaribagh jail. He asked for laddoo for special prayers.

His lawyer Vijay Kumar Singh said the trio have been sentenced under Section 302/120B of the IPC, and have been fined Rs 40,000 each.

"Failing to pay the fine, they will have to undergo five more months of simple imprisonment. In Section 307, they have been awarded 10 years' imprisonment and Rs 10,000 fine, failing which they will be imprisoned for three more months," said Vijay. "In Section 324, the three have been awarded three years' imprisonment."

Prabhunath and Dinanath have also been punished under sections 3 and 120B of the Explosive Substances Act to 10 years' imprisonment and Rs 20,000 fine each, failing which they will undergo three months' imprisonment. Under section 4 and 120B of the Explosive Substances Act, both have been awarded 10 years' imprisonment with Rs 10,000 fine on each and another 10 years' imprisonment under the Act's Section 5. All terms will run concurrently.

Kedar said they would challenge the decision in Jharkhand High Court.

Ashok Singh, then Janata Dal MLA from Masrakh in Saran, was attacked with crude bombs on the lawns of his bungalow in Patna on July 3, 1995. Another person Anil Singh, who had come to meet Ashok from his constituency, also died in the attack.