Patna, July 11: The Supreme Court verdict on disqualification of sitting lawmakers could affect several leaders, including Lalu Prasad and more than half of the MLAs, being tried on different charges.
The immediate threat of disqualification looms over Lalu and JD(U) MP Jagdish Sharma, charged in fodder scam cases. If convicted in the case (RC-20 A/96) pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of funds from Chaibasa treasury, both of them could find themselves disqualified.
The duo have some breathing time, though. The Supreme Court on July 9 stayed the trial proceedings in the case and sought the CBI’s response to Lalu’s allegation that he did not expect a fair trial from the CBI’s special judge IV in Ranchi.
Lalu’s partyman and MP Prabhunath Singh is facing trial for the murder of an MLA in the mid-1990.
Besides the three Lok Sabha members from Bihar, at least 141 MLAs of 243 are being tried on different criminal charges. After scrutinising the affidavits filed by the victorious MLAs in the 2010 Assembly polls, National Election Watch observed that 85 of the MLAs face serious charges like murder, attempt to murder and extortion. At least 43 JD(U) MLAs are facing grave charges.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar described the Supreme Court verdict historic, but the JD(U) MLA from Goh in Aurangabad, Ranvijay Kumar, attends the Assembly proceedings when the House is in motion from Beur jail. Facing a murder charge, he has been in jail for over five years. Pradip Kumar, the JD(U) MLA of Warsiliganj in Nawada district faces 19 cases. Ten of them are related to murder.
Admitting that his party has tainted lawmakers, JD(U) MP Bashishtha Narayan Singh expressed hope that the verdict would start a new trend.
Not just the JD(U) lawmakers, several House representatives of the other parties are also facing serious charges and might face disqualification if convicted. Seven out of 22 RJD MLAs are facing trial. The party MLA from Belaganj in Gaya district has two murder cases against him.
Twenty-nine BJP legislators are being tried on different charges. BJP MLA from Narkatiaganj in West Champaran Satish Chandra Pandey has 11 criminal cases, including two murder charges, pending against him.
Former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi conceded that few BJP MLAs might face criminal charges, but hailed the Supreme Court verdict. “I feel it may not succeed in entirely wiping out the menace,” he said.
In Bhagalpur, BJP’s Shahnawaz Hussain echoed Modi, who with Nitish had made noises against Lalu in the past, alleging that he promoted criminalisation. But Nitish went to the house of Mokama’s criminal-turned-politician Anant Singh to seek his support while contesting from Barh.
