Is Mahto's Murder going L N Mishra Murder case Way?

"Police officers, sceptical from the beginning about the involvement of Maoists, are now convinced of a wider, political conspiracy." Sunil Mahto was killed at Bakudia village in East Singhbhum district while he was watching a football match on March 4, 2007.

The Jharkhand government has made a formal request to the CBI to investigate into the killing of Mahto. CBI comes under Department of Personnel and Training. The mortal remains of slain JMM MP Sunil Mahato was cremated at his native village of Gamaria in Sareikela-Kharsawan district in Jharkhand on March 6, 2007. Chief Minister Madhu Koda, Deputy Chief Ministers Stephen Marandi and Sudhir Mahto, cabinet colleagues, legislators, Leader of the Opposition Arjun Munda and leaders of different parties were present.

The murder case of Lalit Narain Mishra, Railways Minister that has entered in its 32nd year of trial. Mahto case is is all set to go this very route.

Mishra was a Railway Minister under the Indira Gandhi Government. He was murdered on January 2, 1975 at the Samastipur railway station, Bihar. Eight Anand Margis were made main accused in the case. The case was tried in Patna from 1975 to 1979. Later, the Supreme Court ordered for the transfer of case to Delhi. The 12,000 page case file has been transferred to 19 judges since 1979. Now, the case has been moved to day-to-day hearing under the present ASJ MC Garg’s court. Mishra was the elder brother of Jagannath Mishra who later beame Chief Minister of Bihar.

Mishra was the first ranking national politician assassinated in India since Mohandas Gandhi was shot in 1948, Mishra had been the target of corruption charges involving the issuance of import licenses during his term as Minister for Foreign Trade (1970-73).

TIME magazine noted on January 13, 1975, "Mishra's death might well strengthen Mrs (Indira) Gandhi's position". It further noted, because of recent political agitation in India's Bihar state, a force of at least 1,000 security men was present last week when the Indian Minister for Railways, Lalit Narayan Mishra, 51, formally opened a new 36-mile-long rail line from Samastipur to Muzaffarpur. Mishra had just finished his remarks and was stepping down from the dais when a time bomb exploded, ripping the dais to pieces and wounding Mishra as well as 24 bystanders. Mishra himself died the following day during emergency surgery.

With JMM's Shibu Soren in jail, convicted in the Shashinath Jha murder, it was widely recognised that Mahto would find a berth in the Union cabinet. An anti-Mahto lobby, unhappy with the MP's sudden rise, may have masterminded the killing.

Mahto was very much part of the agitation that eventually led to the creation of Jharkhand. As a student leader, he remained in the forefront of the All Jharkhand Students Union politics. A potential leader of the JMM, Mahto was known for his oratory and ability to connect with people.

The JMM MP was put on the hit list for his campaign against the Naxals through his Nagrik Suraksha Sangharsh Samiti. Contractors, backed by Mahto, were refusing to give in to Naxalite demands for money. Mahto is the second high-profile politician to be killed by the extremists in Jharkhand. In 2005, CPI (ML) MLA from Bagodar Mahendra Singh too was shot dead, Outlook notes.

Mahto had a reputation of being pro-people. Mishra was charged with allegations of corruption.