Patna
Controversial Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) politician Mohammad Shahabuddin was Friday sent back to jail after he surrendered in a local court in Bihar shortly after the Supreme Court cancelled his bail granted earlier this month by the Patna High Court.
Once his bail was cancelled, Shahabuddin went to a local mosque, offered Friday prayers and then rushed to the local court in his home town Siwan from where he was sent to jail.
“The moment I came to know about my bail cancellation, I straightway rushed to the court and surrendered myself. I respect the order of the court. I have nothing to say over it,” an unfazed-looking Shahabudidn told the media in the court premises.
He said he still stood by what he had said 20 days back — “Nitish Kumar is a chief minister by circumstance”.
“I have no problem in speaking the truth. A fact is a fact. I don’t care what the other people say,” he asserted while waring that his supporters would teach a lesson to the present Nitish Kumar government in the next elections.
Earlier in the day, the apex court cancelled his bail while hearing petitions filed by the man whose three sons were allegedly killed on Shahabuddin’s order as well as the Bihar government.
“Take him into custody immediately,” the court told the state government, but the Shahabuddin himself surrendered without any delay.
Earlier this week, the Bihar government had submitted fresh documents to the Supreme Court, highlighting Shahabuddin’s unruly conduct. The documents submitted on Tuesday said Shahabuddin is an accused in at least 75 criminal cases out of which he has been convicted in 10 cases, acquitted in 20 cases while balance 45 cases are pending for trial, as per media reports.
The documents also carried copies of a letter sent to the state home department by the Siwan district magistrate which described the RJD leader as a man with “incorrigible tendency”. This came close on the heels another important development which saw the state government replacing its counsel in the SC.
Last week, Shahabuddin was served noticed by the SC asking him to reply within a week why his bail should not be cancelled. Subsequently, he sought more time to reply after which the court granted him permission to present his position till Wednesday. After two days of hearing, the court had on Thursday announced to pronounce its order on Friday.
Shahabuddin had walked out of jail on September 10 after 11 years of incarceration following the bail granted by the Patna High Court. He was lodged in the Bhagalpur jail then. His release sparked off strong protests in the state as the victim’s families along with the Opposition protested on the streets and finally moved the SC. This finally saw his bail cancellation and he was back to prison.
