Nitish Kumar's government challenges Shahabuddin's bail plea in SC

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Bihar Government on Friday filed an appeal in the Supreme Court, challenging the Patna High Court's order granting bail to gangster-turned politician Mohammad Shahabuddin.

Earlier, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan also filed a petition in the top court for the cancellation of bail granted to Shahabuddin, who walked out of the Bhagalpur jail last week. Siwan native Chandrakeshwar Prasad's also filed a petition in the apex court seeking cancellation of Shahabuddin's bail.

The court will hear Prasad's plea on September 19.

Shahabuddin, who had been in jail for more than 10 years in connection with multiple cases, was granted bail by the Patna High Court on September 7 in connection with the murder of a man who witnessed the killing of two brothers in Siwan.

Shahabuddin's release from jail evoked widespread criticism of the grand alliance in the state with the opposition accusing the government of paving way for his release by not opposing the bail strongly in the court.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had yesterday demanded the immediate arrest of Shahabuddin and accused the former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) parliamentarian of being the main conspirator in the murder of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan.

Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said that sharpshooter Mohammad Kaif is one of the accused in the murder of Ranjan and is the close aide of Shahabuddin. He demanded that that the former parliamentarian should be removed from the party.

However, Nitish Kumar has said that law will take its own course in Shahabuddin's case.

"I only want to say that law will take its own course," Kumar said when asked about Shahabuddin.

When asked about comments of some RJD leaders, including that of Shahabuddin, questioning his leadership, he said he does not pay attention to these.

Meanwhile, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has said that the controversy over Shahabuddin getting bail has been created by the BJP and the media and the matter should be decided only by the courts.

Shahabuddin had also downplayed the NDA's demand slapping Crime Control Act against him and put the ball in Nitish Kumar's court while asserting that if the process is initiated then it would be an administrative decision.

"I will do what I have to do. I have always been the way I want. Whatever the government wants to do...can do...what can I comment on that? The grounds for initiating CCA will be prepared and then imposed. According to me, there should not be any grounds for anything but the decision will be taken on what the government says," Shahabuddin told ANI.

"It's not about ego or pride. I don't have any regrets because I think a lot before speaking. I might seem to be angry when I speak. If I can't smile then how can I pretend? I have always spoken the truth," he added.