Ex-MLA, wanted in BJP leader's murder, surrenders

Former Uttar Pradesh MLA Amar Pal Sharma, wanted for the killing of a BJP leader, surrendered in a court here on Tuesday, police said.

Sharma, who once represented Sahibabad constituency in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, gave himself up after the police announced a reward of Rs 25,000 on his head. They also obtained a court order to attach his assets.

Earlier, the police had arrested a contract killer who shot dead the BJP leader, Gajendra Bhati, in Khoda locality bordering Delhi.

The criminal allegedly told police that he killed Bhati at Sharma's behest. Sharma, who was initially with the Bahujan Samaj Party but later joined the Congress, has now been sent to the Dasna Jail, Ghaziabad's Senior Superintendent of Police H.N. Singh said.

Yogesh Bhati, the brother of the deceased, told the police that his brother was shot dead at Sharma's behest.

Sharma, the former MLA, insisted that that he was being framed due to political reasons. He sought a CBI probe in the case.

--IANS

sps/mr/nir