Verdicts on 'bahubalis' of state any time now

PATNA: The day of reckoning for bahubalis (criminals-turned-politicians) is drawing closer. The Bihar police believes that they would be convicted "any moment". "I would not like to take names because there are many of them. But the trial in five cases are almost over. The judgments can be expected any moment," said ADG (HQ) Abhyanand while maintaining that speedy trials are on in several other cases. The bahubalis whose names figure in the police (HQ) cut across party lines. JD(U) MLA Sunil Pandey's trial in case related to opening fire at Aurangabad court premises is almost complete with the last witness deposing before the court. An assault case against LJP MP Surajbhan (one of the 18 criminal cases he is facing) is almost complete. Controversial RJD MP Md Shahabuddin faces 25 criminal cases in Siwan courts alone. The trial in at least one is in the final stage with the defence cross examining the last witness. Former MP Anand Mohan Singh, who grabbed media focus for allegedly disappearing from judicial custody and having a scuffle with the senior SP of Patna, is also likely to feel the heat. He is named accused in the murder of the then Gopalganj DM G Krishnaiya in the early 1990s. The trial in the case has reached a very advanced stage. The speedy trials and convictions in Bihar is finally turning the heat on bahubalis. JD(U) MLA Munna Shukla, MP Prabhunath Singh, ex-MLA Rajan Tiwari and several others may also face the music. "Its a great change. A few years ago these persons were so powerful that they never imagined they would face trial. But now the trials of cases involving them have reached an advanced stage", remarked another police officer in the headquarters. Abhyanand has promised to speed up the trial of all the criminal cases this year. "Within the first 16 days of the new year we have got life convictions of 100 criminals in various cases", he remarked insisting that the trials against 'Bahubalis' would go on smoothly. Incidentally, the year 2006 proved to be a happy year for the police as as far as convictions go. The police have managed to get as many as 6,839 criminals convicted in Bihar with 1,389 accused getting life sentense and 17 of them getting capital punishment. However, previously the bahubalis were considered untouchables as cases were transferred to the CID or any probe panel. The police HQ maintains that there has been no interference in the proceeding of cases against bahubalis so far. "If the trend continues, Bihar bahubalis will be removed from the political arena," said a police officer.