Sushil Modi hits out at Nitish govt over rising crime

Patna, May 10: The BJP on Tuesday rejected Nitish Kumar's claim of "rule of law" in Bihar, saying that in just six months of the alliance government, 12 legislators, an MP and influential leaders of its three constituents were involved in heinous crimes and none of them was punished so far.

"The chief minister should make public the concrete action taken against 12 legislators, an MP and influential leaders of the ruling coalition, committing heinous crimes like rape, murder and fleeing with girls," senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi told reporters.

"During the entire NDA rule of BJP and JD-U not more than 6-7 legislators were found on the wrong side of law," he asserted.

Modi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, named the 12 Legislators as: Sarfaraz Alam (JD-U), Gopal Mandal (JD-U), Raj Ballabh Yadav (RJD), Siddarth Singh (Congress), Vinay Verma (Congress), Abdul Gafoor (RJD), Manorama Devi (JD-U), Kunti Devi (RJD), Bima Bharti (JD-U), Santosh Kushwaha (JD-U MP), Rana Gangeswar Singh (JD-U) and Bindi Yadav (RJD).

Alam was arrested for allegedly molesting a Delhi couple on the Rajdhani Express, Raj Ballabh Yadav surrendered after two months in a rape case, Siddarth Singh was accused of fleeing with a girl while his Congress colleague Vinay Verma was caught on camera claiming he has stocks of liquor notwithstanding prohibition.

Kunti Devi's son was arrested for beating a doctor while Bima Bharti and JD-U MP from Purnea, Santosh Kushwaha were accused of helping Bharti's husband and a history-sheeter flee from police custody, he said.

"In almost all of these cases only an 'eyewash' action is initiated like filing a case under weak sections," Modi, who was deputy to Nitish Kumar during NDA rule, said.

"Nitish should back his assertion of 'nobody can escape from the long arm of law' by showing speedy trial and rightful punishment against them," he said.

The BJP leader, however, did not back ally LJP's demand of imposition of President's rule in Bihar.

Modi also hit out at the Gaya incident, wherein Rakesh Ranjan Yadav alias Rocky Yadav, son of ruling JD(U) MLC Manorama Devi allegedly shot dead a 20-year-old youth for overtaking his vehicle.

The BJP leader left for Gaya to meet the murdered youth's family, and questioned the "leniency" shown towards ruling JD(U) MLC Manorama Devi.

"She apparently seems guilty of helping her son flee and did not assist the police in arresting him. Moreover, liquor bottles have been seized from a house registered in her name. Why has she not been arrested yet," the BJP leader questioned.

He also queried about the absconding third person present in the SUV along with Rocky Yadav and a police security guard, demanding to know whether he was the "son of some VIP".

PTI