Patna, Sep 29 (NationPress) Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary vehemently dismissed the accusations made by Prashant Kishor, the founder of Jan Suraaj, which connected him to the 1995 Tarapur massacre and the notorious Shilpi-Gautam murder case. He described the allegations as “childish” and “factually baseless.”

Kishor had previously asserted that the CBI interrogated Samrat Chaudhary, then known as Rakesh Kumar, the son of former minister Shakuni Chaudhary, in connection with the Shilpi murder case. He claimed that the Lalu-Rabri government had protected him.

Kishor also referenced a Supreme Court affidavit to highlight inconsistencies regarding Chaudhary's age, urging for his immediate arrest.

In his first response, Samrat Chaudhary remarked, “This novice is talking like a child. The Rakesh he is referring to is an ice cream seller from Hajipur, not me. My name is nowhere in the CBI investigation. This is nothing but an attempt to remain in the media.”

The Deputy CM countered Kishor's remarks, questioning the source of the Rs 241 crore that Kishor claimed to have earned through consulting services.

“Where did you get Rs 241 crore? Who gave you the money? Since he is in politics, he has to answer it. I am not going to be fooled by this novice.”

Samrat further recounted the political tensions of the 1990s, alleging that during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s rule, “He (Lalu) and his supporters urinated in the grain and well of my house and jailed 22 members of my family. It was Nitish Kumar, then in the opposition, who walked seven kilometres to speak for us. The Human Rights Commission appealed, and the Supreme Court even penalised the Lalu government,” Choudhary stated.

Earlier, Prashant Kishor had launched a fierce attack on the Bihar government, calling for the immediate termination and arrest of Samrat Chaudhary concerning the 1995 Tarapur murder case.

While addressing a press conference at his camp office in Patliputra Golambar, Kishor accused Samrat Chaudhary of manipulating his age in official documents to evade conviction in a case involving the murder of seven individuals from the Kushwaha community.

Kishor presented documents indicating that in case number 44/1995, the accused was identified as Rakesh Kumar alias Samrat Chandra Maurya alias Samrat Chaudhary, son of Shakuni Chaudhary, with a documented birth date of May 1, 1981.

Kishor argued that this led the court to treat him as a minor, resulting in his release from jail at that time.

However, in 2020, Samrat Chaudhary stated his age as 51 in an affidavit submitted to the Election Commission, which would imply he was 26 years old in 1995, thus not a minor.

“The court acquitted him on mistaken identity and age discrepancy. If the law is equal for all, he should be in jail until a competent court releases him,” Kishor stated, calling on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Governor Arif Mohammad Khan to take swift action.

“Either dismiss him and arrest him, or release all murder accused of the state,” he added, threatening to lead a delegation to the Governor if no immediate action is taken.

Kishor further claimed that Samrat Chaudhary’s name had also emerged in the Shilpi-Gautam rape and murder case, which was investigated by the CBI.

“Samrat Chaudhary should clarify whether these allegations are true. If he denies them, we will produce more documentary evidence,” he warned.

As both leaders exchange sharp barbs, the long-standing Tarapur massacre and Shilpi-Gautam case have resurfaced as a contentious issue in Bihar’s politically charged atmosphere as the 2025 Assembly elections approach.