Sunil Pandey, a ruling Janata Dal-United legislator sentenced to life imprisonment for kidnapping a doctor in Bihar, was acquitted by the Patna High Court Wednesday, a court official said.
Pandey and four others were acquitted due to lack of evidence, the official said.
In 2008, a trial court sentenced Pandey, who represents the Piro constituency in Bhojpur district, and four others to life imprisonment in connection with doctor Ramesh Chandra’s kidnapping.
Chandra, a neurosurgeon, was kidnapped from Patna May 18, 2003 allegedly by a gang patronised by Pandey. His kidnapping led to widespread protests by doctors and opposition parties.
The doctor was later rescued by Bihar Police from Chiraura village under Naubatpur police station near Patna.
The abductors reportedly demanded Rs.1 crore ransom. Police claimed the doctor was rescued without payment of any ransom.
Pandey, a criminal-turned-politician, has several criminal cases pending against him. He is currently in jail.
