Bihar Polls: RJD Candidate Satendra Sah Arrested Following Nomination Submission

RJD candidate Satendra Sah was arrested by Jharkhand Police immediately after filing his nomination for the Sasaram assembly seat due to a non-bailable warrant. He faces multiple charges, including a bank robbery case from 2004.

Satendra Sah, a candidate from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), was detained right after submitting his nomination for the Sasaram assembly seat in Bihar. The arrest was made by Jharkhand Police due to an outstanding non-bailable warrant against him. His supporters were unaware of these developments until the arrest occurred.

As Sah completed his nomination process at the circle officer's office, Jharkhand Police executed the warrant. Despite being allowed to file his papers, he was taken into custody shortly afterward, according to a senior officer from Rohtas district. The warrant relates to a 2004 bank robbery case in Garhwa district.

Political Arrests and Reactions

This incident marks the third arrest of candidates from the INDIA bloc after filing nominations. Previously, CPIML Liberation candidates Jitendra Paswan and Satyadeo Ram were also detained post-nomination. The CPIML Liberation party has condemned these arrests, labelling them as politically motivated actions.

Sunil Tiwari, in charge of Sadar police station in Garhwa, stated, "A permanent warrant was issued against Satendra Sah in that case in 2018." Police records show Sah faces over 20 cases involving robbery, dacoity, and Arms Act violations across various stations.

Upcoming Elections and Allegations

The Bihar Assembly elections are scheduled for November 6 and 11, with results on November 14. The CPIML Liberation criticised the arrests as attempts by NDA leaders to suppress opposition voices amid rising public discontent with the current government.

The party's statement read: "We strongly condemn the politically motivated arrests of Comrade Jitendra Paswan and Comrade Satyadeo Ram... They were arrested right outside the nomination centres immediately after filing their papers." It accused the BJP-JDU alliance of using police powers to silence dissent.

The statement further alleged that these arrests are based on fabricated charges, reflecting fear among NDA leaders about growing public demand for change in Bihar. It claimed that the ruling alliance is resorting to intimidation tactics due to its inability to address public grievances effectively.

With inputs from PTI