A special MP-MLA court in Begusarai sentenced former Bihar Social Welfare Minister Manju Verma and her husband, Chandrashekhar Verma, to seven years of rigorous imprisonment on Saturday. This closes out a nearly eight-year-old illegal ammunition case. Following the verdict, both were taken into judicial custody. They were sent to Begusarai Divisional Jail.
District and Sessions Judge-II-cum-Special Judge (MP-MLA) Brajesh Kumar Singh convicted the couple under provisions of the Arms Act.
Under Section 25(1-A) of the Arms Act, the court sentenced each of them to seven years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 50,000. If either fails to pay that fine, it would mean an additional year in prison.
The court also handed down five years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 26 of the Arms Act. This came with a separate fine of Rs 40,000. Moreover, non-payment of that fine carries a further 10 months behind bars.
After the sentencing, Manju Verma’s lawyer submitted an application citing her health condition. The court heard the plea and directed the Superintendent of Begusarai Divisional Jail to ensure she receives appropriate medical treatment while in custody.
How the Case Began
The case traces back to 2018, when police recovered 50 live cartridges from a residence belonging to Manju Verma’s in-laws in Begusarai during a CBI raid connected to the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual abuse case. Consequently, an FIR was registered against the couple under the Arms Act that August.
Manju Verma had resigned as Bihar’s Social Welfare Minister on August 8, 2018, after a CBI probe found that her husband, Chandrashekhar Verma, had been in regular contact with Brajesh Thakur, the main accused in the Muzaffarpur case. In fact, call records showed the two had spoken 17 times between January and June that year.
Chandrashekhar surrendered before a Begusarai court in October 2018 and was remanded to judicial custody. However, Manju Verma evaded arrest for close to three months afterward. This prompted the Supreme Court to express sharp displeasure over the Bihar Police’s failure to apprehend her. Moreover, the Court set a deadline for her arrest.
She eventually surrendered in November 2018. At the time she arrived at the court premises in an auto-rickshaw while wearing a burqa to conceal her identity. She was suspended from the Janata Dal (United) around the same time.
With the sentencing now delivered, both Manju Verma and her husband retain the legal right to challenge the conviction and sentence before a higher court.
The case is expected to move to the Patna High Court on appeal. This means Saturday’s verdict, while significant, is unlikely to be the final word. After all, the case has already run for close to eight years.
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