Prayagraj, Nov 20 (IANS): Mafia don and former MLC in Uttar Pradesh, Brijesh Singh, has been acquitted by the Allahabad High Court in a murder case in which seven people in a family were brutally killed in Chandauli district 37 years ago.

A division bench of Chief Justice Pritinkar Diwakar and Justice Ajay Bhanot gave the decision. The High Court upheld the order of the lower court which acquitted him from the charges in 2018.

The court had reserved its verdict earlier this month after hearing all sides, on a petition filed by a woman named Hiravati against the decision of the sessions court.

However, the High Court sentenced four other accused to life imprisonment in the same case, which includes Devendra Singh, Vakil Singh, Rakesh Singh and Pancham Singh.

A report was filed against these four accused in the mass murder of seven people of the same family.

Hiravati's husband, two brothers-in-law and four innocent children were brutally murdered. Mafia Brijesh Singh and his associates were accused of this murder in 1987.

The victim had challenged the decision of the District Court Varanasi in her appeal. The District Court, in its decision given in 2018, had acquitted all the 13 accused. The court acquitted him on the basis of differences in the statements of witnesses.

A case was registered against Brijesh Singh in the Balua Police Station of Varanasi district, in which an FIR was registered under sections 148, 149, 302, 307, 120B of IPC and section 25 of Arms Act.

The mass massacre took place in Chandauli district in 1987. Brijesh Singh was made an accused in the case of murder of seven people. The trial court and sessions court had acquitted Brijesh in 2018.