Supreme Court seeks Shahabuddin’s response in plea for cancellation of bail

The Supreme Court today sought the response of convicted politician Mohammed Shahabuddin in two separate appeals filed by the Bihar government, and one Chandrakeshwar Prasad, challenging the order of Patna High Court granting him bail..A Bench of Justices PC Ghose and Amitava Roy issued notice to Shahabuddin and posted the matter for September 26..Advocate Prashant Bhushan appeared for the petitioner, Chandrakeshwar Prasad..He submitted that Shahabuddin was convicted in eight cases, of which he received sentence of life imprisonment for two..“The High Court has granted bail contrary to all the principles laid down by this court…I am absolutely shocked at the casual manner in which bail was granted”, Bhushan submitted..Bhushan also suggested that Shahabuddin should be shifted to a jail outside Bihar and his trial should be held via video conferencing..The court said that it will hear Shahabuddin before granting any stay on the High Court order. It proceeded to issue notice and posted the case for September 26 i.e. next Monday..Shahabuddin was granted bail by the Patna High Court on September 7 in a case pertaining to the murder of Babu’s son, Rajdeo Ranjan. Ranjan, an eye witness in the murder of his two younger brothers in 2004, was killed in 2014. The politician, who was accused of conspiracy in Ranjan’s murder, was meanwhile convicted by the trial court for the 2004 murder of the two younger brothers..Notwithstanding these facts, the High Court had gone ahead and granted bail to Shahabuddin. This order granting bail has been assailed by Chandan Babu for non-application of mind.