On August 18, in a shocking revelation, a senior journalist from Bihar, Kanhaiya Bhelari, confessed to two kidnappings on live TV. During a debate on ABP News moderated by journalist and anchor Rubika Liyaqat on the appointment of kidnapping accused RJD MLC Kartikeya Singh as a minister, Bhelari said he had kidnapped two people allegedly to get back the money they owed him. He further said as no case was filed against him, he was never accused of kidnapping.
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The ‘over-zealous’ journalist confessed to kidnapping
When Rubika questioned Singh about giving minister posts to MLAs who are either absconding or have seriously charged against them, Singh came to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s rescue. He reminded how PM Narendra Modi in the past had praised Kumar, but now as the alliance has broken up, CM Kumar is being accused. He alleged that because CM Kumar will be in the Prime Minister’s post in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, ‘BJP is trying to taint his image.
While explaining how “things work in Bihar,” the over-zealous journalist said, “I confess today that I have kidnapped two millers. No case was filed against me, so I did not become a ‘kidnapper.’ They owed me money. One owed me 12 lakhs, and the other owed me ten lakhs. I kidnapped them. If there had been a case filed against me [I would have been called a kidnapper].”
Visibly shocked by the confession made by Bhelari, Rubika questioned him if it was right to take the law into own hands if someone owed money to someone. Bhelari said, “It is normal. This is the way things work. Even banks have hired goons. It happens across the country.” Rubika replied, “The earth has literally moved under my feet! I am shocked to hear Kanhaiya Bhelari is himself a kidnapper.”
Bhelari was still unable to understand the gravity of the confession he had made on live TV. He said, “There was money involved. He (the victim) was not returning the money.” When Rubika sarcastically said, “It is a tradition in Bihar to kidnap people, and you are saying it is being taken forward,” Bhelari said, “Yes, that’s true.”
Tainted MLAs were appointed as ministers.
On August 17, controversy erupted as soon as the list of MLAs was made public who were supposed to take oath as ministers in Bihar. RJD MLC Kartikeya Singh, who was appointed as Law Minister yesterday, was supposed to surrender at Danapur Court in a kidnapping case, but instead, he reached Raj Bhavan in Patna for the oath-taking ceremony. Similarly, Sudhakar Singh, who was allegedly involved in the rice scam, was appointed as an Agriculture Minister.
