DHANBAD, Aug. 28 -- The MP-MLA court of judge Durgesh Chandra Awasthi in Dhanbad acquitted all 10 accused, including former Jharia legislator Sanjeev Singh, in the 2017 murder case of former deputy mayor Niraj Singh on Wednesday, citing lack of evidence, people close to the development said. Delivering the verdict after an eight-year-long investigation and judicial process, the trial court observed that the prosecution had failed to substantiate the charges. Mohammed Javed, counsel for Sanjeev Singh, termed it a historic judgment. "All accused have been acquitted due to lack of evidence. Though it is not our turn to take steps further, we will consider measures against the fact that innocent people were jailed for years in such a fake case." On the other hand, Abhishek Singh, younger brother of the slain Congress leader, said they would challenge the verdict in the appellate court. "Though we respect the court's judgment, we are not satisfied with the verdict as it is baseless. We will appeal in the high court against the lower court order." Niraj Singh was gunned down near Steel Gate in Saraidhela in the coal city along with his driver Ghultu Mahto and bodyguard Munna Tiwari on March 21, 2017....