SC issues notice to Bihar Govt on bail plea by Shahbuddin's wife

New Delhi, May 16 (UNI) The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Bihar government on the petition filed by Heena Sahib, wife of RJD MP from Siwan Syed Shahbuddin, seeking anticipatory bail in a case under the arms act for possessing illegal arms.

A bench comprising Justice B P Singh and Justice R V Raveendran yesterday directed the local police to release her on bail on furnishing a personal bond for Rs 5000 in case she was arrested by the police.

The Siwan police had registered an FIR against Syed Shahbuddin, his father and his wife for not surrendering arms to the district authorities as per the order of the district magistrate of August 25, 2005 directing all arms license holders to surrender their arms within a week.

The contention of the petitioner before the apex court was that she was not in town at the time of issuance of the order by the Siwan District Magistrate and since it was a public notice and a not personal one, she was not aware of the order.

Her another contention was that the High Court and the Sessions court have failed to appreciate the facts of the case in proper perspective and have therefore erred in dismisssing her petition for anticipatory bail. Ms Sahib has come in appeal to the apex court against the Patna High Court order which dismissed her petition of anticipatory bail.

Her another plea was that she has the license for the arms and hence the allegation of the state that she was in possession of illegal arms was not correct.

UNI AKS SC PR HS1610