Bihar polls: RJD's Sasaram candidate arrested after filing nomination

Sasaram/Patna (Bihar) | RJD candidate Satendra Sah was arrested immediately after filing his nomination papers from Bihar's Sasaram assembly seat on Monday, officials said.

Officers of the police station concerned maintained that Sah was arrested by Jharkhand Police as a non-bailable warrant (NBW) was pending against him. His supporters were clueless about the developments.

"As Sah reached the office of the circle officer concerned to file his nomination papers from Sasaram seat, Jharkhand Police officers arrived there to execute a NBW which was pending against him," a senior officer of Rohtas district said on condition of anonymity.

"He was allowed to file his nomination papers... But soon after, he was arrested. We are not aware about the nature of the case in which the NBW was issued against him," he said, adding only Jharkhand Police could share further details.

The 243-member Bihar Assembly will go to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results set to be announced on November 14.

This was the third such incident of contesting candidates of the constituents of INDIA bloc being arrested after filing their nomination papers.

Prior to this, CPI(ML) Liberation's candidates from Bhore and Darauli seats, Jitendra Paswan and Satyadeo Ram, respectively, were arrested after filing their nomination papers.

CPI(ML) Liberation has issued a statement condemning the arrests.

"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 had said.

Unable to confront the growing anger against its failed 'double-engine' government, the BJP-JD(U) alliance is resorting to repression, intimidation, and misuse of police and administrative machinery to silence democratic opposition and suppress people's voices, it had said.