SC notice to Shahabuddin on plea seeking cancellation of bail

New Delhi, Sept 19: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to crimil-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin on a plea challenging grant of bail to him in a murder case by the Pat High Court earlier this month. The bench of Justice Piki Chandra Ghose and Justice Amitava Roy also issued notice on a plea seeking stay of the Pat High Court’s September 7 order for bail.

Asking the Bihar government to serve notice on him, the bench directed the next hearing on the matter for the coming Monday (September 26).

The court order came on a plea by Chandrakeshwar Prasad, whose three sons were allegedly killed by Shahabuddin’s henchmen, and that of the Bihar government challenging the High Court order. The Bihar government had also sought issuance of non-bailable warrant against Shahabuddin. However, this was not accepted by the bench.

At the outset of the hearing, the bench asked lawyer Prashant Bhushan if he was seeking the cancellation of the bail or challenging the order granting bail and what were the parameters.

Bhushan, appeared for Prasad whose two sons were killed in 2004 and third son Rajiv Roshan - who was the sole witness to the killings of his two brothers - too was killed by Shahabuddin’s henchmen in 2014.

The high court had granted bail to Shahabuddin on the grounds that in Rajiv Roshan murder case, he was jail since 2014 and there was no progress in the trial of the case. Even though Shahabuddin was already in jail in the twin murder case, but in Rajiv Roshan case, the Siwan strongman was shown as arrested on November 27, 2014. Giving details about the notoriety of Shahabuddin, Bhushan told the bench that he was a hardened crimil with no scope of his being reformed and was involved in 58 cases of which in at least 8, he has been convicted. In two cases, he was sentenced to life imprisonment and 10 years jail in another case. (IANS)