A controversy has erupted over the induction of RJD Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Kartikeya Singh as Bihar Law Minister even as arrest warrant is pending against him in a 2014 kidnapping case in which a chargesheet has already been filed.
Kartikeya was supposed to appear or surrender before a Danapur court on August 16, the day he took oath as Law minister. The court had issued the arrest warrant against Kartikeya on July 14, 2022, directing Mokama police to arrest him. A copy of the order had also been sent to the Patna Senior Superintendent of Police.
On February 19, a judicial magistrate had declared Kartikeya an absconder and issued arrest warrant against him. The Patna High Court had dismissed his anticipatory bail plea in 2017.
After opposition parties highlighted the pending arrest warrant, Mokama police admitted to the “lapse” on part of the investigating officer concerned.
Patna SSP Manavjit Singh Dhillon told The Indian Express: “As per this bailable warrant, non-FIR accused Kartikeya Singh had to be produced before the court on August 16.” The next hearing is scheduled for September 1.
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Kartikeya, however, told reporters that the Danapur district and sessions court had on August 12 ordered “no coercive action could be taken against him till September 1”. This, however, does not have a bearing on the status of the arrest warrant against him.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said: “I have no knowledge of the matter.”
Former Bihar deputy chief minister and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi said: “One can see the hint of re-run of the jungle raj. We demand his immediate dismissal as minister.”