Monday, January 17 2005 15:46 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Ruling RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) MLA from Bihpur Shailesh Kumar alias Bullo Mandal, JD-U (Janata Dal-United) MLA from Piro, Sunil Pandey, an LJP (Lok Janshakti Party) candidate and an Independent, evading arrest in different cases, were arrested today (Jan 17, 2005) when they turned up to file nominations for the Bihar Assembly polls and were allowed to submit papers only in custody.

Acting on the recent directive of the Patna High Court to arrest those remaining at large despite non-bailable arrest warrant and property attachment orders pending against them, Naughachia police arrested Mandal when he had turned up for filing nominations for the Bihpur Assembly seat in Bhagalpur district, police said.

A Bhagalpur court had issued property attachment orders against the RJD MLA for not appearing before it despite summons in a case relating to assault of policemen at Parbatta in March 2002.

A few days back, the MLA had acquired bail from Kotwali police station. Taking strong exception to granting of bail to Mandal "illegally", deputy inspector general of police, Bhagalpur, Kumar Ramesh Chandra had suspended officers-in-charge of Barari and Parbatta police stations.

Chandra had also sought explanations from superintendents of police of Bhagalpur and Naughachia Ravindran Shankaran and Basiruddin Ahmad in this connection.

JD-U MLA from Piro, Sunil Pandey, who had been evading arrest in a criminal case in Balia district of Uttar Pradesh in 1996, was arrested while filing nomination before sub-divisional magistrate S Khan.

Pandey, who had served jail sentence in connection with kidnapping of a doctor of Hajipur last year, was later forwarded to Sasaram jail.

Former RJD MLA from Fatehpur (SC) seat in Gaya district, Shyamdeo Paswan, who recently switched over to LJP and is contesting the same seat as its candidate, was arrested when he turned up to file nomination.

Paswan was wanted by the police in connection with a Rail Roko agitation in 2000. A case had been registered against him with the Government Railway Police (GRP), Gaya, deputy superintendent of police (DSP), Mansoor Ahmad said.

Paswan was allowed to file nominations in police custody.

An independent candidate from Hisua Assembly seat in Nawada district, Ashok Yadav, was arrested in connection with assault of Government officials in Narhat block of the district. He was evading arrest for the past two years, police said.