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SC to hear petitions seeking cancellation of Shahabuddin’s bail
The Supreme Court will hear on Monday two petitions seeking cancellation of bail to controversial former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin by the Patna high court
The Supreme Court will hear on Monday two petitions seeking cancellation of bail to controversial former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin by the Patna high court.
A bench of justice PC Ghose and justice Amitava Roy will hear appeals by the Bihar government and Chandrakeshwar Prasad -- whose three sons were allegedly murdered by Shahabuddin -- against the September 7 Patna high court order granting bail to the RJD leader.
Another petition filed by killed Hindustan journalist Rajdev Ranjan’s wife seeking transfer of the trial and investigation of her husband’s murder case to Delhi will also be taken up.
She alleged that media reports have shown the two absconding killers of her husband in Shahabuddin’s company after his release. Bihar state Health Minister Tej Pratap Yadav is also seen in the picture, the petition stated.
Read | Shahabuddin walks out of jail, shakes Bihar politics with remarks on CM Nitish
The former RJD MP walked out of jail after being incarcerated for 11 years in connection with dozens of cases, including the murder of Prasad’s sons. Shahabuddin is known as the ‘Bahubali’ of Bihar. The RJD is part of the Nitish Kumar-led alliance government which has faced flak from the opposition BJP and activists for the release of the controversial leader from Siwan.
In its appeal, the Bihar government told the apex court that the state was not heard before he was granted bail. No report was called for by the trial court as well, it pointed out.
Shahabuddin is accused of murdering Prasad’s three sons – two in 2004 and one in 2014. The RJD leader was convicted in the 2004 twin murder case. But the trial in the 2014 incident is yet to start and citing the delay the HC granted him bail.
Prasad said the HC did not take note of the fact that Shahabuddin is a “history sheeter” and “dreaded criminal”. It was a cryptic order and suffered from “total non-application of mind.”
The appeal said, the RJD leader has been booked in 58 criminal cases of which in at least 8 he has been convicted. He has been sentenced to life in two cases.
According to Prasad, a surprise raid was conducted at the Siwan jail after the death of a ‘Hindustan’ journalist in which the officials found 40 phones with fake SIM cards. They also learnt that many visitors included politicians met Shahabuddin inside the jail without permission.
Read | The making of Mohammad Shahabuddin, a mix of crime, manipulation & politics
