Two non-bailable warrants issued against RJD MP Prabhunath Singh

A court in Bihar's Saran district on Monday issued two Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs) against RJD MP Prabhunath Singh and others in connection with two cases lodged against them for poll-related offences.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Anil Kumar Jha issued the warrants against Singh and others after the police prayed for custody of the accused for questioning.

The district authorities had last week lodged two FIRs against the RJD MP for poll-related offences earlier this month.

In the first incident, Deputy Collector Dharmenda Kumar had lodged an FIR at the Town police station against Singh, his private secretary Jitendra Singh and other unidentified supporters for obstructing government work during filing of nomination by Singh on April 15.

As per the complaint lodged under provisions of the Representation of the People's Act, 1951, Singh and his supporters had broken a barricade set up near Town police station chowk and stormed into the district collectorate premises against the permissible entry of five persons.

The RJD MP was granted permission to carry out a road show

upto Town police station chowk only from the municipality entry point before filing nomination.

The second FIR was lodged against the RJD MP by Chapra Sadar SDO Rajeshwar Prasad at Bhagwan Bazar police station under section 124A (sedition) of the IPC and provisions of the Representation of People's Act for questioning the EC's integrity and commitment to prevent musclemen from stopping people belonging to weaker sections to cast their votes, while addressing an election rally after filing of nomination by former chief minister Rabri Devi from the Saran Lok Sabha seat on April 12.

The district administration had earlier show caused the RJD leader, but was not satisfied with Singh's reply and ordered lodging an FIR against him under various provisions of the law, including section 124A of the IPC which carries life imprisonment if convicted by the court.

Meanwhile, apprehending arrest, the RJD MP has filed an application for anticipatory bail in the court of the District and Sessions Judge Navneet Kumar, who postponed the hearing on the plea till April 25.

Singh is contesting from the Maharajganj Lok Sabha seat which goes to the polls on May 7.