Shahabuddin gets 10-year jail term

In a setback to incarcerated RJD MP from Siwan Mohammad Shahabuddin, a court here sentenced him on Monday to 10 years imprisonment for possession of illegal firearms and ammunition but acquitted him in a case of criminal assault on a police officer to free a murder accused.

Additional district and sessions judge G P Srivastava, who is hearing several cases against the controversial Lok Sabha member inside Siwan jail, pronounced Shahabuddin guilty of possessing an unlicenced foreign-made pistol and 200 bullets of AK 47 and 56 rifles of Pakistani make but absolved him of the charge of sedition.

The weapon and ammunition were recovered from the living room of Shahabuddin at his Pratappur village home during a raid on April 24, 2005 following which the police had registered a case against him under the Arms Act as also section 121 (waging or attempting a war or abetting waging of a war against the government) and section 122 (collecting arms with the intention of waging a war against government) of the IPC.

Though the judge convicted Shahabuddin in connection with the Arms Act case, he absolved him of the charge of sedition for want of evidence.

The judge, however, acquitted Shahabuddin and two other accused in a case of assault on the officer in-charge of Andar police station Sandesh Baitha on June 21, 1996. The three were accused of beating him up inside the police station and setting free a murder case accused Munna Sain due to lack of evidence.

Shahabuddin, Sain and Rustam Khan were made accused under sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty).