Cort officials said the original 'seizure list' prepared by the officers investigating the case was missing from the trial court's records. Two of the investigators -- N.N. Thakur and Badri Ram -- have also reportedly gone missing in the last two-and-a-half years. The two have not appeared in court despite repeated summons since the hearing started some two years ago.

Over two years ago, the Patna High Court ordered the trial to be transferred from a Bhagalpur court to the sessions court here to complete it in three months. That order came during hearing of a habeas corpus petition filed by Harendra Rai in connection with the kidnapping of Lal Muni Devi, a witness in the murder of her son Rajendra Rai.

The high court cancelled the judgement of the Bhagalpur sessions court in the case and directed the Bihar State Bar Council to inquire into the role of the public prosecutor.

Girija Devi, married to Lal Muni's other son Harendra Rai, had Oct 24, 2006, filed a police complaint in Saran district, alleging that her mother-in-law was abducted by aides of Prabhunath Singh to influence the trial in the case.

Singh faces over two dozen criminal charges, including murder, kidnapping and extortion.