Court denies bail to Md Shahabuddin

Patna, Mar 7 (UNI) Patna High Court today rejected the regular bail application of RJD MP Md Shahabuddin in connection with the recovery of firearms and photographs showing him with poached deer seized during raid conducted at his residence in Pratappur village of Siwan district on April 2004.

A single bench of the court, comprising Justice Ms Mridula Mishra, turned down the bail petition with a direction to conclude the trial in the case within six months.

The prosecution counsel opposed the bail application of the controversial MP pleading that he was a veteran criminal. Md Shahabuddin was accused in several cases, the counsel said.

The defence counsel maintained that the RJD MP had not visited his village for the past two years and the administration had also externed him from Siwan district. The counsel said his client had been implicated in the case.

The Special Task Force had raided the house of Md Shahabuddin in Pratappur on April 24, 2004 and recovered illegal firearms, live deer and ten photographs in which the MP had figured with a poached deer.

The case was registered at Husainganj police station.

The MP is currently lodged in Bhagalpur Central jail.

UNI XC RS PL AD ND1626