Jailed Shahabuddin 'issued orders' to Lalu, test for Nitish, says BJP

Patna: President of the Bihar unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Saturday asked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to initiate an investigation against coalition partner Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Modi's demand came after an English news channel aired an audio clip of Lalu having a conversation with jailed mafia don Mohammad Shahabuddin.

"The tape shows that this is not their first conversation. They were in touch before. It reflects how Shahabuddin has been running a parallel government from jail. It further shows how Lalu Prasad is dependent on Shahabuddin and how Nitish Kumar is dependent on Lalu," Modi said.

Modi said the BJP would seek an appointment from Governor Ram Nath Kovind and ask him to direct the Director General of Police to initiate an investigation against Lalu Yadav.

"It is an Agni Pariksha for Nitish Kumar. It is to be seen whether he would take a stand and act on this matter or not," he added.

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "We would like to ask you (Nitish), are you going to start and institute criminal proceedings against Lalu Prasad?"

RJD functionary Jagdanand Singh said, "I have no idea because I have not seen the tape. You should ask the owner of Tihar Jail if such a thing took place," he said, adding that "the party will never expel Shahabuddin from the party."

"Shahabuddin is part of the party and it is not hidden," he added. The channel earlier had played a recorded conversation, which it claimed took place between Lalu Prasad and Mohammad Shahabuddin.