Rashtriya Janata Dal member of Parliament Mohammad Shahabuddin on Saturday filed a petition in the Patna high court challenging Siwan district magistrate's order barring him from entering the district for one year.

The Siwan District Magistrate C K Anil's order came just hours after the MP was granted bail by the high court in the kidnapping and murder of Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (Liberation) worker Munna Chaudhary in 2001.

Shahabuddin, who has been in jail for the past 18 months in connection with the case, is likely to be released on Monday.

• Rabri's brothers banned from Siwan

Shahabuddin's lawyer V V Giri told rediff.com said he challenged the DM's order on the ground that since Shahabuddin is a representative of the people, representing Siwan in the Lok Sabha, the DM could not bar him from entering the district.

"The DM cannot take action against him under Rule 3(3) of the Bihar Control of Crime Ordinance 1978," Giri said.

On Tuesday, Shahabuddin and four others -- Janata Dal (United) MP from Maharajganj Prabhunath Singh, RJD MPs and Chief Minister Rabri Devi's brothers Sadhu and Subhas Yadav and Lok Janshakti Party leader Kali Pandey -- were barred from entering Siwan till February 28 to ensure the peaceful conduct of the third phase of assembly election on February 23.

Complete Coverage: Assembly Elections 2005