Begusarai court awards 7-year jail to ex-Bihar minister Manju Verma, husband

A Begusarai court Saturday sentenced former Bihar minister Manju Verma and her husband Chandrashekhar Verma to seven years of rigorous imprisonment in an Arms Act case.

The court also imposed a combined fine of Rs 90,000 on the couple.

Special Judge Brajesh Kumar Singh delivered the verdict, bringing an end to the eight-year-long legal proceedings.

The case started after the Central Bureau of Investigation seized 50 live cartridges from the Cheria Bariarpur house of the Vermas on August 16, 2018.

A week before that raid, Janata Dal (United) leader Manju Verma had resigned as the Bihar social welfare minister after the central agency probe pointed to alleged involvement of her husband in the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual abuse case. Thereafter, Chandrashekhar Verma had surrendered before the court on October 29, 2018, and Manju Verma a month later on November 20, 2018.