Patna, July 19: Siwan Don Mohammad Shahabuddin stayed in what his friends described as “solitary confinement” in the Patna Assembly where he had been brought to vote for the presidential polls today.

Escorted by 25 carbine-holding jawans under the stewardship of Siwan subdivisional police officer, the don and RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin came in a non-AC Ambassador to the premises around 3.45pm to participate in the process.

The force’s team, which included 15 officers from State Auxiliary Police and 10 from Bihar Military Police successfully cordoned off the don when he sat in the chamber of the leader of the Opposition, Rabri Devi.

“I am being subjected to maltreatment of the worst order. The police are treating me the way colonial police treated Indians during the days of slavery,” murmured Md Shahabuddin when the reporters managed to get close enough.

After spending about 30 minutes at Rabri Devi’s chamber, the don went to cast his vote. However, forces flanked him again and pushed him inside the car, which drove off for Siwan immediately, as soon as the vote was cast. He was not allowed to speak to anyone in the city or to and from the journey between Siwan jail and Patna.

Abiding by the Supreme Court’s order, the Siwan district administration first took a prison van to carry Shahabuddin to the Bihar Assembly.

True to his style, the don “refused” to board the prison van, forcing the Siwan SP to conduct a meeting with his officials and then inform the home secretary, Afzal Amannullah, who in turn apprised the Election Commission (EC) with the situation. “We arranged the car on the direction of the EC. Moreover, we had to ensure that he votes for the apex court had directed the administration so,” Afzal Amanullah told The Telegraph.