Patna,Dec 08: Early this year, when the search began for a new Director General for Bihar police, the odds didn’t favour Dhruv Prasad Ojha, a 1967 cadre IPS officer. Heavyweights in the ruling RJD were not enthusiastic about his appointment and an influential section led by Siwan MP Mohammed Shahabuddin lobbied hard for W H Khan. But Ojha was one man’s choice, the man who had the final say: Laloo Prasad Yadav.
On Saturday, the state government replaced Ojha with Khan. It had been a bitter war of words and nerves. And Laloo and Ojha happened to be in opposite camps. Ojha now says he will go from village to village and tell all. So what went wrong between the two men who were once very close?

On July 30, when Ojha ordered the arrest of Shahabuddin in a 2002 kidnapping and murder case, speculation was rife that it was all done with Laloo’s tacit approval who wanted to slow down the defiant RJD MP.

Laloo remained mysteriously silent though senior RJD ministers began a tirade against the DGP for acting against the MP. Days later, Laloo described Shahabuddin as his younger brother and the patch-up was complete with the RJD chief’s visit to Siwan jail on October 12 where the latter is in custody.

But Laloo’s long friendship with Ojha came under strain as the DGP became increasingly assertive. Laloo let it pass for some time given the history of their friendship that bloomed when Jagannath Mishra was CM in the early 1980s and he, a close lieutenant of Opposition leader Karpoori Thakur.
Home > Front Page PAGE ONE ANCHOR DGP stretched Laloo friendship band too far RJD chief chose Ojha as Bihar top cop, ignoring man who’s now been given charge VARGHESE K GEORGE PATNA, DECEMBER 7: Early this year, when the search began for a new Director General for Bihar police, the odds didn’t favour Dhruv Prasad Ojha, a 1967 cadre IPS officer. Heavyweights in the ruling RJD were not enthusiastic about his appointment and an influential section led by Siwan MP Mohammed Shahabuddin lobbied hard for W H Khan. But Ojha was one man’s choice, the man who had the final say: Laloo Prasad Yadav.

On Saturday, the state government replaced Ojha with Khan. It had been a bitter war of words and nerves. And Laloo and Ojha happened to be in opposite camps. Ojha now says he will go from village to village and tell all. So what went wrong between the two men who were once very close?
On July 30, when Ojha ordered the arrest of Shahabuddin in a 2002 kidnapping and murder case, speculation was rife that it was all done with Laloo’s tacit approval who wanted to slow down the defiant RJD MP.
Laloo remained mysteriously silent though senior RJD ministers began a tirade against the DGP for acting against the MP. Days later, Laloo described Shahabuddin as his younger brother and the patch-up was complete with the RJD chief’s visit to Siwan jail on October 12 where the latter is in custody.
But Laloo’s long friendship with Ojha came under strain as the DGP became increasingly assertive. Laloo let it pass for some time given the history of their friendship that bloomed when Jagannath Mishra was CM in the early 1980s and he, a close lieutenant of Opposition leader Karpoori Thakur.
Ojha, posted in the vigilance department then was close to the Socialist camp and Laloo was his medium. In Laloo’s moments of crisis, including the fodder scam, Ojha stood by him and consequently so. In the process, Ojha earned an adverse remark from the fodder scam investigating agency CBI which recommended departmental proceedings against him.