Why RJD Faces Backlash For Fielding Shahabuddin’s Son Osama Shahab? Here’s The Acid Bath Story Still Haunts Voters In Bihar

As the elections in Bihar is knocking the door, and so is the days turning crucial for the contesting parties and candidates. Bihar has grown to be known as a state of violence, dominance, ‘Katta’ (Gun) keepers, etc. Still today the residents of Bihar are in the hope of having a political party who thinks beyond caste and color. 

Recently, BJP And several others questioned the RJD for granting party ticket to the son of a gangster- Shahabuddin. To the people who doesn’t know about him, below is a brutal incident in Bihar that shook everyone. 

Mohammad Shahabuddin – (1967 – 2001)

Mohammad Shahabuddin was a notorious Indian gangster from Bihar who later entered politics, serving as both an MLA and a Member of Parliament representing the Siwan constituency. He also held positions in the National Executive Committee of the Janata Dal and the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Mohammad Shahabuddin, a four-time MP from Siwan, was known for his strongman image and a series of criminal charges, including kidnapping and murder.

Critics claim that the decision undermines the party’s promises of law and order reforms. Several opposition leaders and citizens have raised concerns, calling the move insensitive and politically motivated. The controversy has once again spotlighted the deep nexus between crime and politics in Bihar’s electoral landscape.

The Chilling Acid Bath Case

One of the most horrifying cases linked to Mohammad Shahabuddin occurred on 16 August 2004,  7–8 men stormed Rajiv Kirana Store on Gaushala Road in Siwan and looted the cash counter. When Rajiv, who was sitting in the shop, protested, they beat him up. Sensing danger, Rajiv’s brother Girish ran into the bathroom, grabbed a bottle of acid, and threatened the attackers: “Run, or I’ll throw the acid.”

Hearing this, they all fled. But within a short time, they returned as a pack. They abducted Rajiv along with his brothers, Girish and Satish. All three were taken to Pratappur. Near a sugarcane field, Girish and Satish were tied to a tree. Rajiv was made to sit aside.

A little later, the then Member of Parliament from the RJD, Shahabuddin, arrived. He set up his darbar on the spot and delivered his judgment: “Give both of them an acid bath.” The moment his order was spoken, his henchmen began pouring acid over Girish and Satish. Both screamed in agony. Smoke rose from their burning bodies. The stench spread in the air.

As they writhed and shrieked, not a shred of mercy surfaced in anyone. Rajiv froze, as if the blood had drained from his veins. He went silent. They took him hostage and started demanding ransom from his father, Chanda Babu. On the third day, Rajiv somehow escaped and reached home.

He told his father, Chanda Babu, about Shahabuddin’s brutality. Hearing everything, Chanda Babu was shattered. Shahabuddin’s men had threatened him too, but he steeled his mind and, without caring for the consequences, went straight to the police station.

The station in-charge trembled at the thought of filing a case against Shahabuddin. He tried convincing Chanda Babu how costly it could be to pick a fight with him. Chanda Babu went to the SP. When the SP refused to meet him, he went to the DIG. Only after the DIG intervened was the FIR finally registered at the police station. The case reached court.

Chanda Babu named Shahabuddin as the conspirator. At the age of 70, he stood as a witness. He feared that, like in many earlier cases, Shahabuddin might again walk free. At home, he had his wife and a fourth son who was disabled, and he was responsible for his care too.

Rajiv, the third son and the sole eyewitness, was scheduled to testify in court on 19 June 2014. But before that could happen, on 16 June, he was riddled with bullets and killed. Shahabuddin was arrested in this case only after the ruling RJD was removed due to President’s Rule.

He stayed in Siwan jail only for formality. Shahabuddin ran a virtual empire from jail. His cell was his throne. He conducted meetings, and anyone could walk in to meet him, subject to checks by his bodyguards.

He allegedly ran meetings from his cell, operated with political protection, and continued influencing local decisions. His prison cell was often described as his courtroom, where people came to seek his intervention. Shahabuddin remained in Siwan jail until 2017, when authorities shifted him to Tihar Jail in Delhi to break his local network. He died of COVID-19 in 2021 while still serving time. Despite his criminal record, his influence over local politics and public loyalty remains visible through his family’s continued prominence.

Political Debate Ahead of Bihar Elections

The RJD’s move to field Osama Shahab has drawn sharp criticism from the ruling BJP-led NDA. The controversy has placed RJD on the defensive, forcing party leaders to justify the nomination amid public outrage.

Opposition parties have framed it as an example of the return of “jungle raj” politics. With elections nearing, the issue has become one of the central talking points in Bihar’s political narrative, reviving memories of the Shahabuddin era and sparking discussions about accountability, governance, and the future of Bihar’s law and order.

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