The Supreme Court continued to breathe fire down the necks of Bihar’s criminal politicians with suspended RJD MlA Rajballabh Yadav being the latest to be sent back to jail after the court cancelled the bail granted to him by the Patna High Court in a rape case involving a minor.
This is the third such order passed by the apex court in a gap of two months. On September 30, the Supreme Court cancelled the bail of notorious criminal and former RJD MP Shahabuddin in a murder case followed by an order passed on October 28 when Rocky Yadav, son of a suspended JD(U) MlC from Bihar was given similar treatment when his release from jail was stayed after he obtained bail from Patna High Court in a case involving the death of a boy in a road rage incident.
The case against Raj Ballabh Yadav was brought up by the state government which opposed his release on bail. Allowing the state’s appeal, a bench of Justices AK Sikri and AM Sapre stayed the HC order of September 30 and directed Yadav to remain in jail. The apex court had on November 8 directed Yadav to surrender before a trial court in Bihar following which he was taken into custody.
While staying the order of his release, the apex court had directed the trial court to record the statement of the minor rape survivor within two weeks and directed Yadav not to interfere in the trial. Yadav’s counsel had offered to remain outside the state till the deposition of the victim is over in the trial court. But the Court on Thursday directed the state government to ensure that the suspended legislator should remain in jail.
Yadav had allegedly raped the minor girl at his residence in Bihar Sharif on February 6 this year. After evading arrest for a considerable time, he surrendered after a local court issued an order to attach his properties for not surrendering before the police. RJD had suspended Yadav from the party on February 14, a day after his arrest warrant was issued.