For Mohammad Shahabuddin , jail means 24-hr room service
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For this MP, jail means 24-hr room service

The Sunday Express meets Shahabuddin in jail, finds he’s having a lot of fun

Varghese K George



Siwan, August 30: He holds a Mont Blanc pen, wears a steel Cartier from his collection of ‘‘five or six’’ expensive watches, white kurta-paijama and ash-coloured shoes picked up from Switzerland. Mohammad Shahabuddin sways in a revolving chair, while state minister Ejazul Haque sits by his side and scores of followers wait outside for a darshan. Just for the record, Shahabuddin is inside Siwan District Jail.

Three or four aides are on their toes and mobile phones, ‘connecting sahib’ and taking orders. Outside the jail, a few dozen of his men loiter around. Saheb calls people in turn. ‘‘You’ve been given special preference,’’ one of them says as we are ushered in.


A brand-new pedestal fan is placed just next to Shahabuddin. A boy stands behind with a manual one just in case the electricity failed. Food? ‘‘If anyone wants to bring food for me, he can book it on September 2. Till that day, it is all booked,’’ the MP says smiling, and showing a diary kept nearby. Behind him is a crate of bottled water.

Whether he spends nights inside the jail or not is a matter of speculation. He insists he does. ‘‘I share the cell with a few more connected to this case,’’ he says. In the morning, he gets up at 4 and after the namaz, goes for a jog. ‘‘It is followed by exercises, and then another hour of jogging,’’ he says. After breakfast, it is time to receive visitors. But he says he takes out time to flip through his books. ‘‘I have more books on guns than many military libraries have,’’ he says. His penchant for guns is recorded in police files. The MP is accused in 36 cases, ranging from kidnapping to murder. The case for which he is in custody is one of kidnapping with intention to murder. The police say he runs ‘‘biggest crime syndicate in country.’’

‘‘It doesn’t bother me. Siwan is my laboratory. I want to create a revolution among the people,’’ he says. He talks about Tagore and Aristotle to convince you. ‘‘I want to make the changes internally among the people,” he says. The rules that come in way may well be confronted. He claims he has cleaned up college exams in Siwan, brought public services to villages. ‘‘How much can you malign me? I am merely doing some things that are good for the people,’’ he says.