New Delhi, Aug 27 - Delhi High Court Thursday upheld the life imprisonment sentences of former Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) councillor Sharda Jain and three others for their involvement in the murder of fellow councillor Atma Ram Gupta in 2002.

A division bench comprising Justices Pradeep Nandrajog and Indermeet Kochhar upheld the life imprisonment to Sharda Jain, her brother Rajkumar Jain and two contract killers, but acquitted five others involved in the case.

The court was hearing a bunch of appeals filed by Sharda Jain and others challenging the lower court order of sentencing them to life imprisonment in 2006.

According to the prosecution, Sharda Jain had hired two contract killers who had gunned down Atma Ram Gupta in her presence at Chhajjupur village in Ghaziabad.

The motive behind the murder was 'irreconcilable differences' between Atma Ram Gupta and Sharda Jain over the former's alleged relationship with another woman councillor.

Sharda Jain allegedly had started feeling insecure because of Atma Ram Gupta's proximity to the other woman.