Patna, Dec 1 (Inditop.com) Ashok Mahto, who spent 20 months in jail after being arrested for crimes he never committed, is to get Rs.2 lakh from the Bihar government by way of compensation.
This follows a directive from the Bihar State Human Rights Commission. The government has ordered the secretary (special) in the home department to ensure that the money is paid to Mahto.
According to a Commission official, Mahto became a victim of mistaken identity due to official apathy.
His folly? He shares the name of notorious gangster Ashok Mahto, who was charged with masterminding caste war in Nawada district in which 11 people were killed.
It was a petition by the Human Rights Watch that exposed the police and the injustice done to Ashok Mahto.
Ironically, gangster Ashok Mahto is in jail. He was wanted in a number of murder cases.
