In order to put the Nitish Kumar government under pressure on the issue of Md Shahabuddin's release from jail, the NDA today submitted a memorandum to Bihar Governor Ramnath Kovind demanding slapping the Crime Control Act (CCA) against the RJD strongman.
"We have sought the Governor's direction to the state government for invoking the CCA against the dreaded RJD strongman to put him behind the bars again as an atmosphere of fear has gripped Bihar, particularly Siwan district," senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said after meeting the Governor.
Shahabuddin, an ex-RJD MP, hails from Siwan.
"The Governor gave us a patient hearing and said he will look into the matter as under the Constitutional framework," Modi, a member of the NDA delegation that met Kovind at the Raj Bhavan here, said.
The Patna High Court on September 7 granted bail to controversial RJD leader Mohammad Shahabuddin in a case of murder of a witness in the killing of two brothers in Siwan by bathing them in acid.
Despite the bail, Modi said, the government should put Shahabuddin behind bars by invoking provisions of the CCA to restore the faith of the people in the government as had been done in the case of expelled JD(U) MLA Anant Singh.
Modi also lashed out at the Nitish Kumar government for 'stage managing' the release of Shahabuddin on bail from Bhagalpur jail last week alleging the state government deliberately delayed trial in one of the cases against him.
Even if it was not possible to invoke CCA against Shahabuddin due to procedural reasons, the man should be expelled from Bihar and brought back only to stand trial in the cases against him, Modi said.
The leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Council said the state government should set up a cell in the police department under an IG rank officer to monitor trial of the cases against Shahabuddin in a time-bound manner.
A panel of best lawyers in the country should be hired for bringing the 'dreaded' RJD strongman to justice for his crimes over the years, including those that he had arranged from inside jail while being incarcerated, Modi said.
Modi also sought action against the officers who are responsible for not serving High Court notices to Shahabuddin in the cases in which trial was scheduled to begin in 2013, but could not be initiated leading to his bail recently.
The former deputy chief minister sought security for family members of slain persons in whose murder cases Shahabuddin was allegedly involved.
RLSP MP Ram Kumar Sharma, HAM (Secular) leader Danish Rizwan and the BJP leaders Nandkishore Yadav and Prem Kumar were also present at the press conference.
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