Patna, Oct. 4: Sushil Kumar Modi today attacked the Nitish Kumar government, accusing it of stage-managing the bail granted to suspended RJD MLA Raj Ballabh Prasad.

Patna High Court granted bail to Raj Ballabh, accused of raping a girl in his Nawada residence, on September 30 - the same day the Supreme Court set aside Shahabuddin's bail granted by the high court.

Modi claimed Shahabuddin's initial release from Bhagalpur central jail and Raj Ballabh's bail have exposed the state government's helplessness. "It is clear the government has helped both the criminals in getting bail from high court, and later to save its face approached the Supreme Court to for cancellation of Shahabuddin's bail," he said.

The government approached the Supreme Court on October 3, seeking bail cancellation of Raj Ballabh. He is among the four accused in the rape case involving a 15-year-old girl from Nalanda. The minor was allegedly raped at the RJD leader's Nawada residence on February 6.

The JDU has denied all allegations of the government's or the party's interference in the judicial process.

National general secretary Shyam Rajak said: "The Nitish Kumar government doesn't succumb to any political pressure. In Bihar, judiciary is taking its own course. Had the government been soft towards Raj Ballabh, it would have not approached the apex court for his bail cancellation."

Modi, however, pointed out that while in the prohibition case, the government filed a special leave petition in the apex court within 72 hours of Patna High Court quashing the dry law order, in Raj Ballabh's case no such urgency was shown.

"In the prohibition case, the government appointed senior counsel Rajeev Dhavan but in Raj Ballabh's case neither a senior lawyer has been appointed nor any urgency been shown for the matter to be taken up by the Supreme Court," said Modi.

The BJP leader pointed out that the government's soft approach on Raj Ballabh stands exposed as he was granted bail in spite of being the prime accused in the case. Alternatively, Pushjay Kumar, a co-accused who allegedly took the victim in his SUV, has not been granted bail. Other co-accused - Choti Kumari, Tushi Devi, Radha Devi - have not been granted bail too. Modi alleged Raj Ballabh's closeness with RJD president Lalu Prasad has stopped the government from putting up a strong case against him in the high court.

He claimed even though the accused has been suspended by the RJD, the party still stands behind him.

"The government is soft on the Raj Ballabh case as the matter concerns a powerful RJD MLA," Modi said. "Had the case involved an MLA of any other party than the ruling dispensation, he would not have been granted bail so easily."