Lalitpur District Court on Monday has sentenced five people accused in the murder of Supreme Court Judge Rana Bahadur Bam to life in prison.

A single bench of judge Om Prakash Aryal sentenced life imprisonment to murder mastermind Megh Bahadur Thapa, alias Babu, Nir Bahadur Thapa and Dipak Karna. Likewise, Shiva Chaudhary and Sanjay Ismaili Magar, who opened shot dead Judge Bam, were given life imprisonment with confiscation of all properties.

According to police, Justice Bam’s murder was politically motivated and Thapa had killed Bam seeking revenge against his verdict over the authentication row of Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party. Thapa is a former Vice Chairperson of Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party.

Two masked assailants riding a red Pulsar motorcycle had opened fire at Bam’s car (Ba 8 Cha 9853) near UN Park in Lalitpur at 11.30 am on May 31, 2012. Bam, who took in four bullets on his neck, chest, armpit and belly, died undergoing treatment at Norvic Hospital, Thapathali, later at 1:30 pm the same day.

A permanent resident of Kalanki, Bam was on his way to the Supreme Court in Ramshahpath after visiting the Patan-based Banglamukhi temple when the incident occurred.

Also read: Justice Bam's murder accused made public