Nitish government to challenge RJD strongman Shahabuddin's bail in SC?

Facing flak over controversial Rashtriya Janata Dal strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin’s release, the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar is mulling moving the Supreme Court for cancellation of his bail even as opposition National Democratic Alliance on Wednesday demanded his arrest in the journalist Rajdeo Ranjan murder case.

“This has been an established process followed by Nitish Kumar government in the past 11 years that if the state is not satisfied with the bail of somebody, it goes in appeal in higher court,” Janata Dal-United spokesman Ajay Alok said.

“It has been done in the past and would be followed in the present case of Shahabuddin too,” he said.

He said in such cases the concerned district administration makes a proposal if any condition of the bail has been violated and an appeal is moved for cancellation of bail.

With BJP questioning delay in appeal for cancellation of bail, the JD-U spokesman said courts were closed for festival and hence it is wrong to talk about delay.

Meanwhile, Siwan Superintendent of Police Saurav Kumar Sah said the district police was scrutinising if any condition of the bail has been violated in the case of Shahabuddin, a former RJD MP.

“If any evidence comes to the surface indicating violation of condition of bail we will move for cancellation of bail in the case,” the SP said.

The SP had said on Tuesday the police has taken cognisance of photograph of absconding suspects Mohammad Kaif and Mohammad Javed in the killing of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan with Mohammad Shahabuddin after his release from Bhagalpur jail on Saturday on bail granted by Patna high court.

Notice would be send to Shahabuddin in this connection and police would also question him on it.

According to media reports, the chief minister recently held a long meeting with Advocate General Ram Balak Mahto and Additional Advocate General Lalit Kishore over the Shahabuddin release issue.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushil Kumar Modi demanded Shahabuddin’s arrest at a press conference held on the sidelines of a ‘Mahadharna’ organised by NDA in Patna to protest against the state government’s alleged lackadaisical approach to trials in all cases against the former RJD MP.

“Fresh evidence has emerged in which a sharp shooter Md Kaif wanted by Siwan police in the Rajdeo Ranjan murder case has been seen standing close to Shahaduddin after his release from Bhagalpur jail last week in a video footage.”

“The evidence proves beyond doubt that Kaif, who is absconding in the Rajdeo Ranjan murder case, has close connection with Shahabuddin,” he said.

In the light of this evidence the state government must arrest Shahabuddin without any further delay in the journalist murder case and direct Siwan police to question the RJD leader about his role in the journalist murder as it has sufficient documents to prove his role in the case with his name appearing several times in the case diary, he said.

Sushil Modi, a former deputy chief minister, further asked the state government to move Supreme Court seeking quashing of Shahabuddin’s bail in addition to a similar
petition that noted lawyer Prashant Bhushan will file on behalf of Chandrakeshwar Prasad alias Chanda Babu, the father of three youths killed allegedly by Shahabuddin’s men in Siwan.