Patna, Feb. 27: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today hinted that he was unlikely to pay heed to the IAS officers' demand of a CBI inquiry into the Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) paper leak case over which BSSC chairman Sudhir Kumar has been arrested, riling the state bureaucracy.
Nitish refused to even acknowledge the crisis brewing over the IAS officer's arrest. Yesterday too, when reporters had asked Nitish about IAS officers forming a human chain on the Raj Bhavan premises, Nitish had said he did not know about it.
At his official chamber in the Assembly today, a few journalists were discussing the issue by pointing out how IAS officers are wearing black ribbons to register their protest today after submitting a memorandum to the governor yesterday.
"I am not aware about any memorandum as it has not come to me," Nitish said, refusing to be drawn into commenting.
BJP MLC Devesh Chandra Thakur entered the CM's chamber at this juncture, and Nitish asked him what happened in the Council.
"The House is adjourned because of the uproar over the demand for the arrest of Mewalal," Devesh said, referring to the case related to Bihar Agriculture University, Sabour, in which now suspended JDU MLA Mewalal Choudhary has been made an accused over irregularities in appointments during his tenure as vice-chancellor.
Nitish's reply could be interpreted as a articulation of an official position that applies to Sudhir's arrest as well.
"The Executive does not have the right to arrest anyone, we can only order for a probe," the chief minister said.
"Mewalal's wife wanted to meet me but I told her that the Executive does not have any role in arrest or investigation by the police. I did not meet her either. When the FIR has been lodged, the persons have to move to court for redress. These things are beyond the purview of our authority."
Another BJP MLA, Gyanendra Singh Gyanu from Barh, also sat in the CM's chamber for a long time and also saw Nitish off when the Assembly proceedings got over around 4.30pm.
The chief minister may have kept mum on the officers' protest, but he did share his plans to visit Kerala to take part in a prohibition-related programme.
"I have been invited by the Catholic church in Cochin to speak over prohibition. I will visit there in April," Nitish said, adding that after Kerala he would visit Mumbai for an event on April 22.
The JDU has become active in Maharashtra and wants to spread its wings there, party sources said.
The party has already nominated Kapil Patil as the convener of the Maharashtra unit and a few days ago JDU national general secretary Shyam Rajak, who has been appointed the JDU in-charge of Maharashtra, had visited Mumbai.
