Ex-BJP MP, six others get life term for murder of RTI activist

Ahmedabad: A special CBI court on Thursday sentenced former BJP lawmaker Dinu Solanki and six others to life imprisonment in connection with the murder of an RTI activist Amit Jethwa.

The court had, on July 7, convicted the seven accused for the murder of the activist.

Besides Solanki, the six others accused are — Shailesh Pandya, Shiva Pachan, Shiva Solanki, Bahadursinh Vadher, Sanjay Chauhan and Udaji Thakore.

In July 2010, Jethva was shot dead outside the Gujarat High Court for reportedly exposing illegal mining activities in Gir Forest undertaken by former BJP MP Dinu Bogha Solanki.

In September 2012, high court had severely criticized investigations by the Gujarat police as Solanki was given a clean chit in the case.

The high court had ordered a CBI probe in the matter, following which the police had arrested Solanki on November 5, 2013, and charge-sheeted him under Section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and Section 320 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). However, then his regular bail was approved by the court.

ANI