NEW DELHI, 2 August 2003 — Former Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad Yadav may be seeking spiritual solace in Amravati, but his proxy battle with Siwan MP, Mohammad Shahabuddin is raging furiously on his home turf.
The battle reached a climax here yesterday as the special task force geared up to arrest the RJD parliamentarian. The move follows an order from Bihar Director-General of Police D.P. Ojha yesterday for the immediate execution of an arrest warrant against Shahabuddin, who is wanted in at least 10 criminal cases. The order, relating to a two-year-old case in which one CPI-ML worker was allegedly abducted and murdered by Shahabuddin’s men, could not have been issued unless the RJD chief had given the go-ahead, party insiders say.
“Nothing moves in Bihar without his nod. The RJD chief has sent his message out loud and clear. As police get busy in Patna to teach the MP a lesson, he (Laloo) is away on a holy trip to Amravati for spiritual solace pretending that he knows nothing. That is his classic style,” a state minister and party MLA said. Task force chief V.K. Singh said Ojha’s order was not an empty threat. Singh said his force was ready to arrest the MP. “Our forces are supposed to execute the order of the DGP. We are there in Siwan district and keeping a watch on the airport and train stations. But we hope he will surrender before the court,” Singh added.
