ARA, July 10 -- Eight persons, including notorious criminal Ashish Paswan-currently lodged in Seraikela jail of Jharkhand in another case - were awarded life imprisonment in connection with a murder that took place in Ara town on June 8, 2020. The judgment was delivered by First Additional Sessions Judge Sailendra Kumar Pandey on Wednesday. The court also imposed a fine of Rs.3.02 lakh on each of the convicts, of which Rs.1 lakh will be given to the victim's kin. Ashish Paswan and his brother Avinash Paswan were produced via video conferencing from Seraikela jail (Jharkhand) and Bhagalpur jail, respectively, while the remaining six accused were produced physically from Ara jail. Special Public Prosecutor Satyendra Kumar Singh said youth Mithun Paswan was shot dead on June 8, 2020, for failing to pay extortion money demanded 15 days prior. The informant, Nand Kishor Ram of Gausganj under Ara Town police station, stated that his relative Deepak Paswan informed him about the incident in the evening. On reaching the spot near Janki Temple, he found his son Mithun lying in a pool of blood. Mithun named the assailants before succumbing to injuries. He was rushed to Ara Sadar Hospital in a private vehicle, where doctors declared him dead. Charges were framed against all eight accused on September 24, 2021. During the trial, the prosecution examined seven witnesses. Earlier, Ashish Paswan was produced in this case from Bhagalpur jail on January 3, 2023. However, he escaped from police custody while being taken to another court. He was later re-arrested in Jharkhand in a separate case and produced in this trial via video conferencing on September 26, 2023. Based on the evidence, the court convicted Ashish Paswan, his brother Avinash Paswan, Ankit Paswan, Sarvjit Paswan, his brother Amarjit Paswan (all of Gausganj), Ravi Paswan (Barki Singhi), Amarjit Paswan (Gausganj), and Chotu Yadav (Bhaluhipur). There was heavy security in and around the court during pronouncement of the verdict....