A local court today convicted eight persons in the 2005 TDP legislator Paritala Ravindra murder case and acquitted four others.
The District Sessions Court sentenced Panduga Narayana Reddy, Vallupalli Rekhamaiah, Ranganayakulu, Vadde Konda, Vadde Seena, Medimi Obi Reddy, Peddi Reddy and Vanna Hanumantha Reddy to life imprisonment.
Former minister and TDP MLA Paritala Ravi from Penukonda, was gunned down by the followers of Gangula Suryanarayana Reddy alias Suri at the TDP office in Anantapur on January 24, 2005. The CBI's charge-sheet named 13 persons, with Suri, a gang leader, as the prime accused.
But on January 3 this year, Suri himself was shot dead by gunmen in Hyderabad.
According to the chargesheet, Ravindra's killing was the fall-out of rivalry between his family, and Suri's.
Suri hatched the conspiracy while he was undergoing life imprisonment for attempting to kill Ravindra in November 1997, it said.
According to CBI, Julakanti Srinivasa Reddy, Narayana Reddy and Rekhamaiah shot Paritala Ravindra inside the TDP office, whereas Ranganayakulu, Vadde Seena and Vadde Konda hurled bombs outside to facilitate escape of the shooters afterwards.
The other accused provided logistical support, before and after the murder.
Apart from Suri, co-accused Srinivasa Reddy and T. Konda Reddy died during the trial. Another accused, Rama Mohan Reddy, turned approver.
133 witnesses were examined by the prosecution.