Supreme Court orders shift of Mohammed Shahabuddin to Tihar Jail from Bihar

Supreme Court of Delhi announced thatpolitician from Bihar state, Mohammed Shahabuddin, is to be shifted from Siwan Jail to Tihar Jail, Delhi in a week from today.

The verdict passed by Justices Dipak Misra and MitavaRoy was a result of two petitions filed against Shahabuddin - one lodged for the murder of journalistRajdeo Ranjan by his wife, Asha Ranjan and the other by Chandrakeshwar Prasad, who accused him for murdering his three sons.

Asha had pleaded for transfer of the alleged murderer of her partner from Bihar to Delhi,on the ground that the trial in the accused's home state would bemanipulated due to Shahabuddin's influence on the authorities.

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Asha Ranjan's case was presented by Senior AdvocateDushyant Daveand AdvocateKislay Pandey whilePrashant Bhushan stood in defense of Chandrakeshwar Prasad. Senior AdvocateShekhar Naphade has been fighting in defence of Shahabuddin.

The Bench also consented Prashant Bhushan’s appeal to conduct hearing by video conference.

Under Article 142, courthas ruled that the alleged could not be allowed to drop the ‘fundamentals’ of criminal trial under the pretense of fair trial.

The court will hear the plea of the petitioner on March 21. He alleges that despite having named Shahabuddin as a key conspirator in her husband’s murder, the police in Bihar had declined to file an FIR.

Criminal turned politician Mohammad Shahabuddin has been elected as a Member of Parliament four timesfrom Siwan, Bihar, with the Rashtriya Janata Dal party of Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Shahabuddin has avoluminous criminal record, majorly at the Hussain Ganj police station in Bihar.In May 2007, Shahabuddin was sentenced tolife imprisonmentin a case of "abducting with intent to murder".