Sasaram: Satendra Sah, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate from Sasaram in Bihar was arrested by Jharkhand Police immediately after filing his nomination papers on Monday.
The police said that Sah was arrested as a non-bailable warrant (NBW) was pending against him. His supporters were apparently unaware of the developments.
“The police arrived soon after Sah reached the circle officer’s office to file his nomination papers from the Sasaram Assembly Constituency. He was allowed to file his nomination papers… He was arrested soon after that,” a senior official said.
According to Jharkhand Police, Sah is an accused in a 2004 bank robbery case at Chirounjiya More in Garhwa district.
“A permanent warrant was issued against Satendra Sah in that case in 2018. Police records indicate that more than 20 cases related to robbery, dacoity, and violations of the Arms Act are pending against him in various police stations,” Sunil Tiwari, officer-in-charge of Sadar police station in Jharkhand’s Garhwa told the media.
Polls for the 243-member Bihar Assembly will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, and results will be announced on November 14.
Sah is not the only candidate to be arrested before the elections. CPI(ML) Liberation’s candidates from Bhore and Darauli seats, Jitendra Paswan and Satyadeo Ram were arrested prior to this. They too had filed their nomination papers.
The CPI(ML) Liberation condemned the arrests of its party leaders, calling the charges baseless.
“We strongly condemn the politically motivated arrests of Comrade Jitendra Paswan and Comrade Satyadeo Ram… They were arrested right outside the nomination centres immediately after filing their papers. These arrests, under fabricated and baseless charges, clearly reveal the fear and panic among the NDA leaders, who feel threatened by the rising assertion of the masses and the people’s determination to bring change in Bihar,” the party said.