RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav says controversy over Shahabuddin's bail created by BJP, media

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Thursday told CNN-News 18 that the controversy over former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin getting bail has been created by the BJP and the media and the matter should be decided only by the courts. He refused to comment on the action that the Nitish Kumar government is planning to take against Shahabuddin and said that it has been created by the media.

Won't comment on reports on Nitish govt challenging Shahabuddin's release, it's all media's creation: Lalu Prasad Yadav to @maryashakil

— News18 (@CNNnews18) September 15, 2016

[caption id=“attachment_2976762” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Lalu Prasad Yadav. PTI[/caption] Lalu Prasad had earlier ruled out any signs of “turmoil” within the ruling grand alliance of the JD-U, RJD and Congress; he asserted that Nitish Kumar is the leader of the mahagathbandhan. Meanwhile, after facing criticism from all quarters, the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government is likely to challenge the bail granted to Shahabuddin in the Supreme Court soon. “The state government has decided to appeal against the Patna High Court bail to Shahabuddin in the apex court,” an official told IANS. A ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader close to Nitish Kumar said the decision was taken in the wake of protests by the Opposition over the release of Shahabuddin. He also dismissed allegations that the government have been “soft on Shahabuddin,” who was released from jail after 11 years. “It is wrong and baseless to say that the state government was soft on Shahabuddin. His release is part of a judicial process, politics has nothing to do with it,” he said. Shahabuddin, who was released from on bail four days ago in connection with the murder of a witness in the killing of two brothers in Siwan, said on Tuesday that whatever action the Bihar government wants to take, including invoking the Crime Control Act (CCA) against him, he will live by his rules. “Sarkar agar CCA lagana chahti hai to lagaye, lekin mai apne tarike se jeeta hun (If government wants to invoke CCA against me, it can but I will live as per my style),” Shahabuddin told the media while meeting his supporters. The BJP has demanded that CCA be slapped against the former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP. With inputs from IANS