BJP questions luxury vehicle used in Shahabuddin's jail shift

PATNA: The controversy over RJD strongman Md Shahabuddin getting 'VIP facilities' while being shifted to Bhagalpur jail from Siwan yesterday refused to die down with BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi today questioning Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on why a luxury vehicle was used in the process and why it took 12 hours to reach Bhagalpur.

"How come a convicted prisoner like Md Shahabuddin get a luxury vehicle and why did it take 12 hours for the police to shift the RJD strongman to Bhagalpur amid reports that he met a minister and some RJD leaders at Muzaffarpur?" Modi asked in a statement.

The former deputy Chief Minister also took the state government to task for reportedly allowing Shahabuddin to hold a 'janata durbar' at Siwan jail in violation of jail manual, which was found out by top district officials during inspection and the matter reported to IG, Prison Anand Kishore who subsequently issued a notification for the RJD strongman's shifting to Bhagalpur jail at the earliest.

Modi questioned the state government for lodging Shahabuddin in Siwan district jail when as per rules he should have been held at a central jail as he was convicted for more than five years by a court in a murder case.

Alleging that Shahabuddin enjoyed "patronage of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad" who has nominated the former to his party's national executive recently, Sushil urged the Chief Minister to take up the issue with Prasad.

It may be mentioned that fingers have been raised at Shahabuddin in journalist Rajdeo Ranjan murder case in Siwan last week with his kins demanding security in view of threats from the convicted don.