Law to take its course in Shahabuddin issue: Nitish

Asserting the government's supremacy in the Shahabuddin issue, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said law will take its course in the matter. "There is a process of law. All I will tell you is that the law will continue to take its course," he told reporters here.

Asked about comments of some RJD leaders, including gangster-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin, questioning his leadership, he said he does not pay attention to these.

The bail granted to murder convict Shahabuddin by the Patna High Court has prompted the BJP-led opposition to accuse the Nitish government of deliberately putting up a weak case to facilitate his bail. 

The fanfare following the RJD leader's release from the jail had added to Kumar's discomfort with leaders of his party JD(U) indicating that the government may move the Supreme Court to get his bail cancelled. However, the government, in which RJD is a partner, has not spelt out a clear stand on the matter. Kumar has come to the national capital to meet Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Meanwhile, Opposition BJP on Thursday slammed the Nitish Kumar government for indulging in "drama" in the name of challenging the bail granted to Md Shahabuddin and dared it to make public the status of trial in different cases against the RJD strongman.

"Through statements - like this is a legal process, law will take its own course and the matter is being studied - the government is indulging in nautanki (drama) in the name of challenging bail of Mohammad Shahabuddin in the killing of Rajiv Roshan, an eyewitness in the killing of his two brothers by bathing them in acid," party leader Sushil Kumar Modi said.