NDA demands slapping CCA against Shahabuddin

Patna, Sep 12 (PTI) In order to put the Nitish Kumargovernment under pressure on the issue of Md Shahabuddin’srelease from jail, the NDA today submitted a memorandum toBihar Governor Ramnath Kovind demanding slapping the CrimeControl Act (CCA) against the RJD strongman. "We have sought the Governor’s direction to the stategovernment for invoking the CCA against the dreaded RJDstrongman to put him behind the bars again as an atmosphere offear has gripped Bihar, particularly Siwan district," seniorBJP 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 willlook into the matter as under the Constitutional framework,"Modi, a member of the NDA delegation that met Kovind at theRaj Bhavan here, said. The Patna High Court on September 7 granted bail tocontroversial RJD leader Mohammad Shahabuddin in a case ofmurder of a witness in the killing of two brothers in Siwan bybathing them in acid. Despite the bail, Modi said, the government should putShahabuddin behind bars by invoking provisions of the CCA torestore the faith of the people in the government as had beendone 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 fromBhagalpur jail last week alleging the state governmentdeliberately delayed trial in one of the cases against him. Even if it was not possible to invoke CCA againstShahabuddin due to procedural reasons, the man should beexpelled from Bihar and brought back only to stand trial inthe cases against him, Modi said. The leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Councilsaid the state government should set up a cell in the policedepartment under an IG rank officer to monitor trial of thecases against Shahabuddin in a time-bound manner. A panel of best lawyers in the country should be hiredfor bringing the ‘dreaded’ RJD strongman to justice for hiscrimes over the years, including those that he had arrangedfrom inside jail while being incarcerated, Modi said. Modi also sought action against the officers who areresponsible for not serving High Court notices to Shahabuddinin 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 forfamily members of slain persons in whose murder casesShahabuddin was allegedly involved. RLSP MP Ram Kumar Sharma, HAM (Secular) leader DanishRizwan and the BJP leaders Nandkishore Yadav and Prem Kumarwere also present at the press conference. PTI KDK NNIKA