NEW DELHI, 1 September 2007 — Rashtriya Janata Dal Member of Parliament Mohammad Shahabuddin was today sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment by a court in Siwan, Bihar for a murderous attack on then District Superintendent of Police S.K. Singhal. The attack took place on May 3, 1996 during parliamentary elections. Judge Gyaneshwar Prasad Srivastava sentenced him to 10 years in prison for attempted murder and fined him 2,000 rupees. The judge also sentenced Shahabuddin to two years in jail and a fine of 500 rupees for assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty. He was also sentenced to seven years imprisonment for illegal possession of arms and fined 1,000 rupees. All the sentences will run concurrently.
Babri Probe
NEW DELHI, 1 September 2007 — The term of the Liberhan Commission inquiring into the destruction of the Babri Mosque at Ayodhya on Dec. 6, 1992 was yesterday extended by another two months, until Oct. 31. Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal said Wednesday that the commission would submit its report to the government by Aug. 31. With the latest extension, the federal government has extended the tenure of the commission on 41 occasions since its appointment. Over 71.76 million rupees have been spent on the commission till July 31, 2007, Jaiswal said. The commission was constituted during the regime of late Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao to inquire into the demolition of the Babri Mosque.
