Court orders personal appearance of Rabri Devi, minister in hearing

A district court here on Monday ordered former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and state minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lallan to appear before it in person on March 10 in connection with their petitions for mutual compromise in a defamation case Singh had filed against her.

Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) Javed Ahmad ordered the two to be present in person in the court on March 10. Singh and Devi had filed petitions for mutual compromise on January 10 in the hearing of a defamation case.

The compromise petitions came ahead of the merger between Rashtriya Janata Dal and the state's ruling Janata Dal (United). Singh, State Minister for Road Construction, had earlier filed a case under Indian Penal Code against Devi during the 2009 general elections for alleged abusive language she had used against him during an election campaign in Saran district.

Devi, wife of RJD President Lalu Prasad, too had filed a petition in the court on August 31, 2009, pleading exemption from personal appearance. The court had granted her conditional exemption in 2010 on the condition that she would appear before it at the time of framing of charges and pronouncing verdict.

The court had framed charges against Devi on February 26, 2010, and the case had been pending at the trial stage since then. 

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