Patna, Mar 01: The Patna High Court on Monday denied bail to jailed RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin in the case relating to the kidnapping and murder of a CPI-ML (Liberation) activist, Munna Chaudhary, in 1999. Justice B K Jha, who had reserved his order after hearing the plaintiff and defence counsel in the case on January 30, rejected Shahabuddin's bail plea.

The judge, however, gave him the liberty to renew the bail prayer after framing of charges by a sessions court in the case.

The court did not accept Shahabuddin's counsel, Y V Giri's argument that there was no legal evidence against his client and the MP was implicated in the case by opponents for political reasons on the ground that two independent witnesses had supported the allegation against the RJD leader.

A lower court had earlier rejected Shahabuddin's bail petition in this case. Shahabuddin and six of his associates were named in the FIR lodged with Hussainganj police station in Chaudhary's kidnapping and murder case in Siwan in 1999.

Except in the present case, Shahabuddin has acquired bail in the remaining three cases relating to kidnapping and murder of another CPI-ML worker and alleged assault on two police officers.

Rejection of bail to Shahabuddin in Chaudhary's case means he would continue in the Siwan jail where he had been lodged since August, last year. Bureau Report