Nitish Kumar says not aware of legal status of law minister, BJP seeks his sacking

Patna, Aug 17 (IANS) While Bihar's law minister Kartikeya Singh alias Kartik Master is facing charges of kidnapping and a warrant has been issued against him by the district court, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said that he was not aware of the legal status of Singh.

Singh took the oath of a cabinet minister on Tuesday and Nitish Kumar allotted him the law ministry portfolio.

Kumar said: "The matter did not come into my cognizance. I was not aware of the warrant issued by the court."

Singh was booked in a case of kidnapping in 2014 in Bihta police station. His anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the Danapur district court and the Patna High Court. The Danapur district court issued an arrest warrant against Singh in the first week of August and he was asked to surrender before a court or in a police station by August 16. Instead of doing this, he took the oath of cabinet minister in the Bihar government on August 16.

This development has given a burning issue to the BJP leaders who are attacking the Nitish Kumar government.

Sushil Kumar Modi, Rajya Sabha MP of the BJP said: "Nitish Kumar government should sack the law minister who is a fugitive person and the court has issued an arrest warrant against him. It is shocking that he, instead of surrendering in court, went to Raj Bhavan and took the oath of cabinet minister."

"When any leader takes the oath as cabinet minister, he used to undergo police verification to ascertain his/her criminal record. Nitish Kumar is not aware of this person who comes from Mokama and a warrant has been issued against him. Nitish Kumar also comes from the same region of Barh and Mokama. Is he not aware of his history? The chief minister should sack him," Modi said.

"Kartikeya Singh was given the law ministry portfolio to work on the wiping out of criminal cases in which RJD leaders were involved. The Jungle Raj of Lalu Yadav has returned to Bihar," Modi added.

BJP leader Nawal Kishore took a jibe at Nitish Kumar and said: "Bihar Mein Bahar Hai, Kanoon Mantri Farar Hai or Inke Neta Nitish Kumar Hai."

Meanwhile, RJD chief Lalu Prasad claimed that Sushil Modi was telling lies.

"The leaders of BJP used to tell lies. Sushil Modi is a liar. Leave his statement. There is no such allegation against him," Lalu Prasad said in Delhi.

Shakti Singh Yadav, spokesperson of the RJD said: "If he is guilty, the party will not forgive him. If anyone goes against the law, action will be taken against him. We do not work like the BJP which saves their own leaders and frames leaders of the opposition parties using Central agencies."