Patna, March 15 (IANS): In a big relief to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the Patna High Court on Friday quashed criminal proceedings initiated against him by a lower court in a 28-year-old murder case, a government lawyer said.

Justice A. Amanullah passed the order on an application moved by Kumar.

Kumar had challenged the proceedings initiated against him by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM), Barh, who took cognizance of an FIR lodged at the Pandarak police station in Patna district.

In the FIR lodged on November 16, 1991, Kumar, who was then the Samata Party MP from Barh, was named as an accused along with others for the killing of one Sitaram Singh, who was killed during the Lok Sabha elections that year.

The ACJM had initiated criminal proceedings against Kumar in 2009, which was challenged by the Janata Dal (United) leader before the Patna High Court the same year.

The court had reserved the order on the petition on January 31.