Court issues summons to Lalu, Rabri, Paswan

A Bihar court on Wednesday issued fresh summons to Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and Lok Janshakti Party President Ramvilas Paswan directing them to appear before it in person on September 15 in a case in which they are accused of damaging public property.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Ramesh Malviya while issuing the summons said the three leaders should treat it as their last opportunity for their appearance in person before the court in a case charging them with causing destruction to public property during the state-wide bandh on January 6.

The CJM also refused to grant them exemption from their personal appearance as pleaded by their counsel on the ground of hectic schedule.

Malviya had on June 17 taken cognisance of a complaint filed by senior advocate Sudhir Ojha, who had alleged that widespread destruction was caused to public property during the shutdown against price rise called by these leaders in Muzaffarpur and elsewhere, and asked the three leaders to represent their respective sides on the complaint on July 27.

The three leaders, through their lawyer, petitioned the court that they be exempted from personal appearance because of busy schedule and their lawyers be allowed to represent their sides in the court forthwith.

Ojha, in his complaint filed on January 24, had also alleged that RJD-LJP activists took law into their hands and misbehaved with him while enforcing the bandh.