Saturday, April 9 2005 12:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jehanabad (Bihar): A criminal defamation case was filed in a district court in Jehanabad yesterday (Apr 8, 2005) against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Laloo Prasad and others for reportedly describing Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) as a party of "ruffians and rapists".

The case was filed by Jehanabad district LJP president Gopal Sharma in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Binod Kumar Singh under IPC 500 (punishment for defamation) and IPC 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace).

RJD spokesman Shivananad Tiwari and party MP Ram Kripal Yadav have also been named in the case.

Sharma filed the case on the basis of reports in a daily Hindi newspaper. The matter could come up for hearing on Monday (Apr 11, 2005).

Laloo while addressing a function at Bihiya in Bhojpur district after opening the unreserved ticketing system on Thursday (Apr 7, 2005) had reportedly described the LJP as a party of "ruffians and rapists".

Tiwari and Yadav had also addressed the rally.