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Journalism of Courage
Striking down the Siwan District Magistrate’s order detaining RJD MP Mohammed Shahabuddin in custody until February 28, Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi today ordered the strongman’s release from Beur jail.
Siwan DM C K Anil had also banned Shahabuddin for a year from the district.
Immediately after his release, Shahabuddin drove to relative and Bihar minister Ejazul Haque’s residence. He told reporters that he would go to ‘‘any extreme’’ to help the RJD return to power in Bihar.
Shahabuddin said he would raise the matter in the Lok Sabha and highlight the DM’s ‘‘malafide’’ intention in ‘‘imposing Bihar Crime Control Act (CCA) against me and banning me from entering Siwan.’’
Meanwhile, the Patna High Court has asked the DM to file a counter-affidavit by Monday to “justify’’ his order banning Shahabuddin.
The RJD MP, on his part, maintained that ‘‘there was no reasonable ground to impose CCA against me.’’
“The DM used the word notorious against me in his letter to the state government… It was in bad taste, an insult to a peoples’ representative.’’
According to Shahabuddin, the manner in which Anil was appointed as Siwan DM to conduct Assembly elections was ‘‘objectionable’’.
‘‘Normally, the Election Commission asks for three names from the state government to appoint a new DM of a district going to polls. But in this case, no other name except that of Anil was discussed,’’ he said.
BJP vice-president Sushil Kumar Modi described the CM’s order to free Shahabuddin as ‘‘a blatant misuse of power’’.
‘‘Shahabuddin has been released from Beur jail also in violation of the model code as the election process in Siwan is yet to be completed,’’ Modi said.
‘‘Counting for Siwan is to take place on February 27 and there’s possibility of the EC ordering repoll in booths where electoral malpractices were reported in Siwan. In the given situation, the release of the RJD MP, who is a terror in Siwan, is highly objectionable,’’ he said, adding that he would approach the Election Commission.
