The Supreme Court on Wednesday castigated the Bihar government, questioning its seriousness on a plea seeking the cancellation of the bail granted to Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Mohammad Shahabuddin.
“Why did you not challenge bail granted to him in other cases? Did you wake up from a slumber after he was released?” the court asked the Bihar government’s lawyer.
A bench comprising justices Amitava Roy and Pinaki Chandra Ghose were hearing two separate pleas by the Bihar government and Chandrakeshwar Prasad, whose three sons were allegedly murdered by Shahabuddin, seeking cancellation of the bail.
Senior advocate Shekhar Naphade who appeared for Shahabuddin, however, told the court that the present case against the former MP is entirely due to prejudice against him by the state and media. “Old cases cannot be brought to the court’s notice as it will prejudice trial and create an impression against him,” Naphade told the court.
The Bihar government has faced heavy criticism following the release of Shahabuddin, against whom at least 58 criminal cases are registered.
The court will hear the case again on 29 October.
