Patna, Sep 14 (IANS): A court in Bihar's Samastipur on Monday sentenced former Janata Dal-United legislator Rambalak Singh and his brother to five years imprisonment in an attempt to murder case.

The Additional District Judge's court, which had held Rambalak Singh and his brother Lal Babu Singh guilty on September 11 in the 21-year-old case, also slapped a Rs 15,000 fine.

As per the complainant Lalan Singh, he had old enmity with Rambalak Singh.

"I went to Raghunathpur village to participate in the marriage of Ganga Singh's daughter on June 4, 2000. When I was returning home to Bibhutipur, Rambalak Singh and Lal Babu Singh intercepted me near the house of Upendra Singh. Rambalak Singh was driving the motor bike while Lal Babu Singh, who was riding pillion, opened fire on me. I sustained injuries in my left hand and lost one of the fingers," Lalan Singh said after the quantum of punishment was announced.

"The accused tried to kill me on that night. I was lucky that neighbours assembled at the place after hearing the sound of firing and saved me," he said.

The FIR was lodged in this connection on June 5, 2000 in Bibhutipur police station. Rambalak Singh, who won the 2015 Assembly election from Bibhutipur on the JD-U ticket, faces eight criminal cases as per the affidavit filed with the Election Commission.