Patna, May 19: If inflammatory speeches are considered a criterion for action against leaders, Bihar’s leaders have a penchant for indulging in verbal attacks at the drop of a hat.

Crime and politics have been synonymous for a long time in the past. Nitish Kumar promised to clean the stables, but the chief minister can crack the whip only on NDA legislators and cabinet members. Others are beyond the purview of his powers.

The latest in the list of politicians embroiled in a criminal case is the BJP’s Ramadhar Singh, who has resigned as minister following a warrant of arrest pending against him since 1995. The case itself dates back to 1992.

Former railway minister and RJD boss Lalu Prasad and Raghubansh Prasad Singh (former minister and RJD MP from Vaishali) are accused in a case related to landing of a helicopter in Muzaffarpur without prior permission of the district administration in 2007. The two senior RJD leaders have also been charged with making derogatory remarks against Nitish at a public meeting in Muzaffarpur. The two politicians have been asked to appear in person in the court of the additional district and sessions judge VII, Choudhary Birendra Kumar, on July 4.

Ramanand Singh, transport minister in the Nitish government, had to resign in May 2008 after his name figured in a case lodged by the vigilance investigation bureau in connection with irregularity in the purchase of hose pipes for use in the Kanti Thermal Power Station in Muzaffarpur. Bijendra Prasad Yadav, energy minister, has been luckier. Bijendra, who was also declared an absconder, contested the election and was later included in the cabinet.

Recently a warrant of arrest was issued against senior Congress leader Mukul Wasnik by a Muzaffarpur court. Wasnik, along with state president Mehboob Ali Quaiser and Vineeta Vijay (Congress leader of Muzaffarpur), has been accused of duping one S.K. Ojha of Muzaffarpur of Rs 15 lakh on the pretext of providing him a party ticket for the 2010 Assembly polls.

Pradeep Kumar Joshi, former MLA from Dehri, was convicted last year in a case related to making a provocative speech at a public meeting.