Prime Accused In INDIA's Bihar Ally's Brutal Murder Arrested

Police on Wednesday claimed to have cracked the killing of former Bihar minister Mukesh Sahni's father, with the arrest of the prime accused after he "confessed" his involvement in the crime.

Earlier in the day, police had detained four persons, including the prime accused, for questioning in connection with its probe into the murder of Jitan Sahni, father of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahni.

The accused, identified as Qazim Ansari (40), a resident of Supaul Bazar locality where the former minister's ancestral home is also located, has confessed his involvement in the crime. During interrogation, Qazim Ansari told police that he had borrowed a sum of Rs 1.5 lakh from Mukesh Sahni's father against a piece of land he owned.

The accused was unable to take back the piece of land back because of his "inability to pay", it said.

"Ansari further revealed that on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, he along with his associates entered Jitan Sahni's house and asked for the documents of his land. When Sahni refused to hand over the land documents to Ansari, he started stabbing him. His associates assisted him in the act," the statement said.

A case has been registered against Qazim Ansari and his associates, and search is underway to trace them, police said.

Jitan Sahni, 70, was found stabbed to death at his home in Darbhanga district on Tuesday.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the district police was formed to investigate the case.

The ghastly incident sent shock waves across Bihar, with many in the opposition flaying the Nitish Kumar government over the law and order situation in the state.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)