Lalu Prasad, Amit Shah Booked for Exchanging Barbs at Each Other

Patna: FIRs were lodged today against BJP president Amit Shah and RJD chief Lalu Prasad for allegedly violating the election code ahead of the Bihar assembly polls.

While Mr Prasad has been booked for his "Narbhakshi" (cannibal) comment against Mr Shah recently, FIR against BJP president filed in Begusarai for his "chara chor" (fodder thief) barb against Mr Prasad on September 30.

The FIRs were registered at Patna and Jamui against Mr Prasad for the remark, which Election Commission found violative of Representation of People Act and IPC sections, Additional Chief Election Officer R Lakshamanan told reporters in Patna.

Senior Superintendent of Police Patna Vikash Vaibhav told PTI that a case has been registered against Mr Prasad with Sachivalaya police station for the comment.

He said Mr Prasad has been booked based the on report of Executive Magistrate Rajiv Mohan Sahay on the "Narbhakshi" comment made while talking to reporters on October 1.

Another FIR has been registered at Sikandra police station in Jamui district for making the same comment while addressing an election meeting on October 4, Mr Lakshmanan said.

He said an FIR was registered against Mr Shah as the comment made while addressing BJP workers at Singhaul in Begusarai district on September 30 was found to violate the model code of conduct, the Representation of Peoples Act and relevant sections of IPC.

In an apparent dig at RJD chief, Mr Shah had said Bihar which was once known by the name of Dr Rajendra Prasad, Loknayak Jayprakash Narayan and Karpoori Thakur is unfortunately today known by the name of "chara chor".

Station House Officer of Sachivalaya police station Amrendra Kumar Jha said the case against Mr Prasad has been registered under IPC sections 171(C), 171(F) and 188.

Section 171(C) pertains to undue influence at elections, Section 171(F) of IPC is punishment for undue influence or personation at an election, while Section 188 relates to disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant.

A report from Begusarai quoting Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar said that the FIR against BJP president has been registered on the report by Matihani assembly constituency magistrate Bhagirath Prasad.

The DSP said Mr Shah has been booked under section 171(G) which relates to false statement in connection with an election, and 188 of IPC.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi who was served a notice by the Election Commission for announcing poll sops at a political meeting at Bhabua, sent in his reply at the end of the deadline during the day.

Sushil Modi said he has not breached the code or committed any "corrupt conduct" by promising to give colour TVs to Mahdalit families, laptops to meritorious students and incentives to other sections of the society in the event of the NDA government coming to power in Bihar.

The incentives announced for different segments of the voters are part of the BJP's vision documents for the polls and consistent with several judgements of Supreme Court and guidelines under the Directive Principles of state policy and as such did not amount to violation of the code of conduct, he contended.

In the reply to the notice served to him on October one and filed through his advocate Subodh Kumar Jha, Sushil Modi urged the EC to order cancellation of the FIR lodged against him and absolve him of the charges of violating the Model Code.