PATNA: Hours after the arrest of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate in Bihar’s Rohtas, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) nominee, Mohammad Kalamuddin, was taken into custody from Jehanabad on Tuesday. An arrest warrant was pending against Kalamuddin in a case of attempted murder.
Rahul Kumar, station house officer (SHO) of Kako police station in Jehanabad district, confirmed Kalamuddin’s arrest.
Supporters of AIMIM nominee created a scene outside Jehanabad sadar police station where Kalamuddin was detained, alleging a conspiracy behind his arrest. The situation was brought under control after intervention of senior police officers.
Kalamuddin was referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) after he complained of uneasiness and chest pain.
Kalamuddin, a resident of Zafarganj in Jehanabad town, had been fielded as AIMIM candidate from the Jehanabad seat. He was arrested soon after he filed his nomination papers.
Mohammad Gyasuddin, a resident of Zafarganj, said this is the first arrest of a candidate in Jehanabad district.
On Monday, RJD candidate from Sasaram, Mukesh Shah was arrested moments after submitting his nomination papers to the Sasaram returning officer in Rohtas district. He is stated to be a native of Balapur village under Kargahar police station limits in Rohtas district.
Later, he was handed over to a Jharkhand police team, which took him to Garhwa on police remand after obtaining permission from the court. “We cooperated with the Jharkhand police team in the execution of warrant of arrest,” a Rohtas police officer said.
Shah was involved in a 21-year-old criminal case baring number 320/2004, which was registered in Jharkhand’s Garhwa district. The case was registered under Sections 395, 397, and 120B of the IPC, related to dacoity, armed robbery, and criminal conspiracy.
He had been absconding for years, and a warrant had long been issued against him by the Garhwa Civil Court, police officials said. Garhwa Superintendent of Police (SP) Aman Kumar confirmed that Sah had been arrested, stating that Sah had been absconding for more than two decades in the case.
“A non-bailable warrant already existed in the court, and we were in contact with the Rohtas police for its execution. Now pending warrant has been executed,” said Kumar. He said that the arrested person was being brought to Garhwa for his production in the case.
Jharkhand police said that Shah was an accused in 2004 robbery case in Chiraunjia More in Garwa district. Sunil Tiwari, SHO of Garwa police station, said that a permanent warrant of arrest was issued against Shah in the bank robbery case in 2018 after he failed to appear before the court.
Police records showed at least 20 cases of bank robbery, dacoity and Arms Act were pending against Shah at different police station in Jharkhand.
The RJD has not yet issued an official statement on the incident. However, party insiders privately admitted that the arrest has embarrassed the local leadership and disrupted their campaign momentum.
“It’s a setback, especially at this crucial stage of the elections,” said a party worker from Sasaram.
Last week, CPI-ML (Liberation) candidae Jitendra Paswan was arrested from Gopalganj. The elections are to be held on November 6 and 11. Police have intensified raids to execute warrant of arrest against accused in criminal cases.
