Shahabuddin’s Release A ‘Well Planned Strategy’ By Nitish Kumar Government: BJP

Former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin, the main accused in the murder of Rajiv Raushan, has been released from jail after 11 years. “The government has to explain why it could not start trial in the Rajiv Roshan case even two years after his murder”, BJP legislature party leader Sushil Kumar Modi today said. Shahbuddin, who was facing trial in the murder case of eyewitness Rajiv Roshan, was granted bail by the Patna High Court on Wednesday.

Known as the terror of Siwan Sahabuddin has approximately 63 cases against him out of which he was either acquited or granted bail in 38 of them.

It is alleged that Shahabuddin had a role to play in the murder in July 2014 of a property dealer, Tabrez Alam alias Mastaan, because of his growing popularity among the local Muslim population.

The Patna High Court had on February 3 directed the state government to conclude trial of the case preferably within nine months, Mr Modi said quoting the court’s order, the copy of which was distributed among media persons. Although he has been given a clean chit by the court, political analysts have stated conspiracy theories, alleging that the present government has deliberately diluted the charges against Shahabuddin owing to his strong links with RJD.

Asked why trial has not begun yet, Siwan’s Superintendent of Police Saurav Kumar Sah said the public prosecutor going on leave is “one possible reason”. “I have always maintained that the moment the situation is right for RJD boss Lalu Prasad, he will remove Nitish from the CM’s post”, Paswan added. He also drew an analogy between the cases of Shahabuddin and another strongman, former JD (U) MLA Anant Singh. He was only convicted in seven cases.

At one point, Shahabuddin had nearly 39 cases of murder and kidnapping against his name, but the noose seems to have loosened in the past few years.

Taking a dig at Nitish Kumar, Hussain said, “After coming out of jail, Shahabuddin described (Rashtriya Janata Dal chief) Lalu (Prasad) as his leader while he termed Nitish Kumar as the Chief Minister of circumstances which clearly describes the condition of the state”.