High Court stays arrest of RJD MLA Osama Shahab

Patna: The Patna high court on Wednesday stayed the arrest of RJD MLA from Raghunathpur Osama Shahab in connection with a theft and extortion case lodged at Mahadeva police station in Siwan district, even as Siwan police conducted a raid at his official residence in Patna earlier in the day.A single bench of Justice Ajit Kumar, while hearing Osama’s anticipatory bail plea, also sought the case investigation diary from Siwan police. The matter will now be heard again on June 17.According to the FIR lodged on April 15 by complainant Sudha Singh at Mahadeva police station, Osama allegedly threatened her to stop construction work on a newly purchased piece of land at Jhunapur village in Siwan district. The complainant further alleged that Osama arrived at the site with 30 to 40 unidentified persons and forcibly removed CCTV cameras, cables and construction materials.Earlier, the anticipatory bail plea of Osama had been rejected by the court of the principal district and sessions judge, Siwan, on April 28, following which he moved the high court on May 1.Senior advocate Naresh Dixit, appearing for Osama, argued before the court that the dispute was civil in nature and related to ownership and possession of the land between the complainant and Osama’s wife. He submitted that Osama’s wife had purchased the same land through a registered sale deed in 2024 and alleged that the FIR was lodged only to harass the legislator and his family.Dixit also argued that the Supreme Court had repeatedly cautioned against attempts to give criminal colour to existing civil disputes. Finding merit in the submissions, the high court granted interim protection from arrest.Meanwhile, Siwan police reached Patna on Wednesday to arrest Osama and carried out a raid at the MLA flat located under Kotwali police station area. However, Osama was not present at the residence.Police questioned two to three close associates present at the flat, who informed the team that the high court had granted a stay on his arrest. Following this, the police sought documents related to the court order.