The Special MP/ MLA court in Ranchi today has awarded life sentence to ex JMM MLA Paulus Surin and extremist Jaitha Kachhap in a double murder case. The court of Additional Judicial Commissioner Dinesh Kumar had convicted Surin and Kacchap under Section 302 of Indian Penal Code and Section 27 of the Arms Act on April 7, the quantum of punishment was announced today.

The two were convicted for killing social worker Bhushan Kumar Singh and Ram Govind in Karra.

The case was registered with Karra police station in Jharkhand’s Khunti district on May 25, 2013. Surin also had allegiance with left- wing extremists ( Naxals) before joining politics. 

On April 10, the court awarded life term jail to both accused Surin and Kacchap.

Arguments on the point of sentencing were fixed for April 10 when the court made public its judgement.  

Records show that Social worker Bhushan Kumar Singh and Ram Govind were playing cards near the home of the former in an afternoon in the summer of 2013 when Naxals approached them and started firing indiscriminately, leading to their deaths. 

The chart sheet filed by the police revealed that Paulus Surin blamed Singh for being a “police informer” and had asked him to stay away from such activities. 

The case was heard for almost three years in a Khunti court before it was transferred to the special MP/MLA court. 

Surin represented Torpa ST Reserve Assembly constituency of Jharkhand. As many as 12 prosecution witnesses were examined to establish the argument against Surin and Kacchap in the case. 

There were six accused, among them four, including three women, were discharged because of lack of evidence.

Paulus often used to blame Singh for being a police informer and had asked him to stay away from such activities. The case was heard for three years in a Khunti court before it was transferred to the special MP/MLA court. Surin represented the Torpa assembly constituency of the state. Public prosecutor Pushpa Sinha said as many as 12 prosecution witnesses were examined to establish the argument against the convicted duo. She said there were six accused in the case, of whom four, including three women, were discharged because of lack of evidence.

Paulus Surin was elected MLA from Torpa Assembly seat in 2009 and 2014 on Jharkhand Mukti Morcha ticket. The party did not give him the ticket in 2019. He had contested as an independent candidate, but had to face defeat.