Nitish Kumar hints action against JD-U legislator

Patna, Jan 23   Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday hinted of action against a legislator belonging to state's ruling JD-U for allegedly misbehaving with a couple on a running train.

"Nobody is above the law," Nitish Kumar told the media when asked about likely action against legislator Sarfaraj Alam who is facing charges of misbehaving with woman and her husband aboard Delhi-Guwahati Rajdhani Express.

Nitish said party will decide about action against the legislator, including Bima Bharti who had allegedly helped her gangster husband Awadsh Mandal to escape from police lock up.

We have rules in the party to take action in such cases. JD-U President Sharad Yadav will arrive here on Saturday to discuss about possible action, Nitish said.

Nitish Kumar has reacted for the first time to this issue a day after state JD-U president Vashisht Narain Singh said such behaviour, if true, cannot be tolerated at any cost. He could face action from the party.

Even RJD chief Lalu Prasad had favoured action for misconduct with a woman.

Additional Director General (police headquarters) Sunil Kumar said legislator Alam may be penalised by the railways for travelling without an authorised ticket and action would be taken against the train superintendent for allotting him a berth and creating the circumstances for him to travel unauthorisedly.

He said the railway police have adequate evidence against Alam that he travelled in the Rajdhani express. The legislator has denied the charges and said he was not aboard the train.

Inderpal Singh Bedi and his wife in an FIR registered at Patna railway station complained that JDU legislator Sarfaraj Alam, his bodyguard and another aide misbehaved with them aboard the Delhi-Guwahati Rajdhani Express, the official said.

Alam and his two men allegedly passed vulgar comments about Bedi and his wife who boarded the train from Delhi, he said.

Patna rail superintendent of police P. N. Mishra said a four member team sent from Patna to register a formal complaint returned from Delhi after recording the statement of the victim and other witnesses. Team members also collected documentary evidence.

Mishra said a summon was issued to Alam to appear before the investigation official and present his stand on Saturday following the police team have found complainant correct prima facie.

"The investigation is on into the case and the police would take action against the legislator if the charges were found to be true," Mishra said.

Alam, son of former union minister Mohammad Taslimuddin, is JDU legislator from Jokihat assembly constituency in Araria district of Bihar.