The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Raids in jail as Shahabuddin’s new-look pictures go viral
4 MOBILE PHONES, 3 SIM CARDS SEIZED FROM SIWAN JAIL
A SET of new pictures of incarcerated former RJD MP from Siwan, Mohammed Shahabuddin, has gone viral. However, it is not clear if the pictures were taken inside the jail premises. The pictures show Shahabuddin with his head tonsured. He is seen wearing a grey coat, an indication that they could have been clicked this winter.
Soon after news of Shahabuddin’spicturesgoingviral reached the Siwan administration, it conducted raids at the Siwan jail and seized four mobile phones, three SIM cards and two mobile phones batteries. But no mobile phone was recovered from the ward where the former MP has been lodged since his bail was cancelled by the Supreme Court on plea of Siwan resident Chandrakeshwar Prasad alias Chanda Babu.
The Nitish Kumar government had to face embarrassment after Shahabuddin was released on bail on September 9, 2016. The state government that had not protestedshahabuddin’sbailplea in Patna High Court had eventuallydonesointhesupremecourt.
In the pictures, one of which looks like a selfie, the former MP is shown in an all new-look, with trimmed hair and without glasses. Earlier, he used to sport moustache and wear glasses. Siwan jail authorities denied that the pictures had been taken inside the jail ward.
The MP has not moved out of prison since he was resent to jail last October following the SC order cancelling his bail. A petition regarding shifting him to Tihar jail has been pending before Supreme Court. Charges were framed against Shahabuddin recently in the murder case of Rajiv Roshan, who was the eldest son of Chanda Babu. The former MP has already been sentenced to life in the twin acid-murder case of Roshan’s younger brothers, Girish Raj and Satish Raj.
Siwan Jail Superintendent Vidhu Bhardwaj said they conducted raids inside jail premises and seized four mobile phones. He said that while undertrials Anil Singh, Bharat Singh and Masoon Khan had been booked, no mobile phone was recovered from Shahabuddin’s ward. Sources said Shahabuddin had changed his look on the advice of a religious guru. IG Prison Anand Kishor has asked Siwan DM to submit a report on the matter.