Nitish Kumar is ruining powerful criminals of Bihar's happiness
What is common among Mohammed Shahabuddin, Anant Singh, Raj Ballabh Yadav and Rocky Yadav?
All are known for their muscle power and also for having some, past or present, connections with the ruling Grand Alliance government in Bihar. But all are now forced to cool their heels in various jail barracks because the Nitish Kumar government has walked the extra mile to ensure that they remain where they belong.
Last month Shahabuddin, convicted in multiple criminal cases including murder, was transferred to Delhi’s Tihar Jail secured by Tamil Nadu Special Police personnel who neither speak Bihari, the don’s language, nor are likely to be influenced by his notoriety.
Earlier the Supreme Court had cancelled his bail following a Bihar government’s appeal. RJD legislator Raj Ballabh Yadav, accused of raping a school girl, too, has been forced back in jail after the Nitish government successfully challenged his bail order. And this month, Rocky Yadav, son of suspended JD(U) MLC Manorama Devi, has also joined the league of infamous men after his bail was overturned by the Supreme Court.
The month begun with the SC allowing the Nitish government’s appeal against the Patna High Court bail order for Rocky Yadav, accused of killing 17-year-old Aditya Sachdeva in the May 7 road rage incident at Gaya. Rocky Yadav allegedly shot Aditya dead because he could not tolerate a small Swift car overtaking his big and imported Land Rover.
Clearly, it’s been a bad year for the high and mighty in Bihar. Without any chest-thumping, Nitish Kumar has silently turned the tables on those strongmen who once committed crime with impunity and those who sat in seats of power to bend rules as per their sweet will.
Shahabuddin, Raj Ballabh Yadav and Rocky Yadav had their moments of freedom after they secured bails from Patna High Court. But it proved short-lived because Nitish Kumar clearly had other ideas.
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| Photo: Mail Today |
The list, however, has other names as well.
Bihar home department, a portfolio that Nitish Kumar holds in the government, has also imposed Crime Control Act (CCA) on Anant Singh, an independent MLA from Mokama. It has prevented Anant Singh’s release from jail after he got bail in several cases against him. Though Anant Singh has been a JD(U) legislator in the past and even considered close to JD(U) boss, the Nitish government has shown no mercy for him. CCA is imposed on “history sheeters” who are perceived as a threat to society. Once imposed, no court can grant that person bail for a year.
Clearly, Nitish Kumar in 2017 seems to have taken a leaf from his 2006 strategy books to deliver a measured message that he cannot compromise on law and order. Having inherited a lawless Bihar in November 2005, Nitish Kumar had then told his officers to secure conviction of criminals; and they achieved it by strategically ensuring appearance of the witnesses on court dates.
By the time Nitish Kumar started to campaign for the next Assembly poll in 2010, Bihar had already convicted more than 56,000 criminals.
Questions were once against raised when Nitish Kumar started his current stint in alliance with Lalu Prasad, someone who has been accused of patronising criminal politicians in the past. But Nitish has clearly shown that his USP — law and order — has remained intact.
In addition to the politicians behind bars, 1987 batch IAS officer, Sudhir Kumar is also in judicial custody in connection with question paper leak in Bihar while two more state cadre IAS officers are on the run in separate cases.
For Nitish Kumar, action has clearly spoken louder than words.
(Courtesy: Mail Today)