Shahabuddin, PhD!

Question 1: What is the Indian Penal Code? Explain its salient points. Answer: This is known all over the country, but mostly in Bihar, as the Indian Politicians Code. Its salient point is that politicians are above any law. They can make their own laws and break them as they pleased. Bihar is the most law abiding state because it follows this version of the IPC.

Question 2: Explain the need for a Witness Protection Programme in India like the one in the US. A: We must not copy the US which is a nation without any laws. In India, we need the Witness Elimination Programme. This would take care of inconvenient witnesses who dare give evidence against great national leaders like myself.

Question 3: Do you think that the issue of ‘‘habeas corpus’’ petition needs any changes? A: First of all, we need a Hindi word for such terms. Law students should not be bothered with words they do not understand. If a man or woman is made to disappear because he or she is inconvenient to leaders, why bother with issues like this ‘‘corpus’’ thing?

Question 4: Do you think the issue of anticipatory bail is being misused by influential persons in our country? A: Anticipatory bail is the best thing to happen to the Indian legal system. This must be extended to politicians of all colours. A special panel of doctors should be legally constituted so that politicians accused of any crime cannot be arrested but declared medically unfit to face the court and instead sent to airconditioned, special ICUs in five-star hospitals with the government paying the bills.

Question 5: What changes would you recommend to deal with the Defamation issue under sections 499 and 500 of the IPC? A: This law needs drastic changes. Journalists who defame national political leaders like Lalooji and myself should be tried not under sections 499 or 500 but under section 302 of the IPC and sentenced to death. No mercy for them.