Reprieve for Bihar heavyweights

Two ‘heavyweight’ politicians — Giriraj Singh of the BJP and Prabhunath Singh of the RJD —got reprieves on Friday when two different courts stayed their arrests. Both the leaders had gone underground after non-bailable warrants were issued against them.

Three separate FIRs were lodged against Giriraj at Bokaro, Deoghar (both in Jharkhand) and Patna, respectively, for violation of model code of conduct and other various sections under the Representation of People’s Act for  making an inflammatory speech in Jharkhand earlier this week warning that those who opposed Narendra Modi would be sent to Pakistan after the elections.

On Friday, the Patna District and Sessions Judge Birendra Kumar granted bail to Giriraj in the context of an FIR lodged at Patna airport police station on April 21.

The BJP leader’s advocate pleaded before the court that his client had already submitted his reply to the show-cause issued by the Election Commission and that his assertions were not aimed at hurting any particular caste or community.

In a similar reprieve to Prabhunath Singh, the District and Sessions Judge in Saran N K Pandey stayed the arrest of the RJD candidate from Maharajganj (who is also the sitting MP from there) till the next date of hearing on May 20.