Controversial politician and former MP from Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh, DP Yadav, has been awarded a life term for his involvement in the 1992 murder of Mahendra Singh Bhati, then MLA from Ghaziabad’s Dadri area.

Earlier, Yadav had surrendered before a special CBI court in Dehradun after an arrest warrant had been issued against him for not appearing in court on February 28 on medical grounds.

DP Yadav, Pal Singh, Karan Yadav and Praneet Bhati have been convicted in the case under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Mahendra Singh Bhati was shot dead at the Dadri railway crossing in December 1992.

The case was transferred to a special CBI court in Dehradun in 2000 on the direction of the Supreme Court after doubts were expressed about a fair trial in Uttar Pradesh where Yadav is an influential politician.

It may be of interest to note here that DP Yadav’s son Vikas Yadav is also in jail serving a life term for the murder of 25-year old business executive Nitish Katara in February 2002.