Former Bihar minister Mohammad Shahabuddin attacked, main accused arrested

PATNA: An armed man attacked and seriously injured Ejaz-ul-Haq, former Bihar minister who is also the brother-in-law of jailed gangster-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin at his residence in the state capital, the police said today.

The police have arrested the main accused Raghvendra Singh from neighbouring Bhojpur district with a SUV and a licensed revolver of Haq, which he had taken with him after committing the crime late last night.

Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vikas Vaibhav said the former minister has been admitted to a private hospital and his statement has been recorded.

Providing details about the incident, Vaibhav said, "Singh went to Haq's residence at the third floor of Royal Court Apartments in Ashiana Nagar area. Both were known to each other and there was some scuffle between them. Singh stabbed Haq and fled with his SUV and revolver."

As the injured former minister was rushed to hospital, police quickly laid cordon in and around Patna. Singh was arrested from Barhara in Bhojpur district.

"The arrest was due to good efforts by the police in Patna and Bhojpur districts. Our officials are interrogating Singh to find about his motive behind the attack," the SSP said.

Haq rose to prominence during the RJD regime in Bihar between 1990 and 2005. He was a minister in the then chief ministers Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi. He resigned from RJD in 2010, but was active in politics with plans to contest the forthcoming assembly elections.