Bihar: Minister feasts with former MP in jail

The Bihar government was on the back foot after a picture surfaced showing minority affairs minister Abdul Gaffoor and another RJD legislator meeting former MP and senior RJD leader Mohammed Shahabuddin and having a feast inside Siwan jail. BJP leaders said “the minister violated the jail manual”. According to reports, the senior minister visited the jail and remained with Shahabuddin for more than an hour.

Accusing the state government for giving patronage to hardened criminals, senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi seeking a reply from chief minister Nitish Kumar on the issue said, “Why are ministers meeting with jailed convicts and why is the chief minister quiet on the issue The government must sack such ministers.”

Mr Sushil Kumar Modi also raised questions as to why the state government is not arresting RJD legislator Raj Ballabh Yadav, accused of raping a minor girl. He said, “On one hand the state government is not arresting a rape accused MLA and at the same time ministers are visiting jailed convicts and having a feast with them inside jail premises.”

However, after the BJP created a ruckus on the issue, RJD minister Abdul Gaffoor, while defending himself, said that he “met the convicted MP only out of courtesy”. He said, “I was in Siwan and was staying at the Circuit House which is close to the jail so I decided to visit him. He is my former colleague.”

Mohammed Shahabud-din is in jail in connection with cases related to kidnapping, kidnapping for ransom and murders. He was even awarded life imprisonment in 2005. He is also known for his close relation with RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and other RJD leaders.

“Around 11 cases are still pending against him and after the formation of the Grand Secular Alliance government in the state he has started to get full patronage from the RJD,” a local leader said.