Crime Chronicle of Bihar:
The Siwan Acid Case is one of the most terrifying and sensational murder cases in Bihar's history, which shook the entire nation. This incident began with a demand for extortion, ultimately leading to the tragic death of a family's three sons. The method of murder and the infamous name associated with it made it the most notorious case in the country. The accused, a former member of Parliament and a feared politico, was none other than Mohammad Shahabuddin. The entire region of Siwan trembled at his name. It was a period in Bihar where criminals acted with political impunity. Here's the heart-wrenching saga of the Siwan Acid Case from 'Crime Chronicles of Bihar.'
Before 2004, Chanda Babu lived comfortably with his wife Kalavati Devi, two daughters, and four sons in Siwan district. They owned a grocery store on Goshala Road called Rajeev Kirana Store, run by his sons Satish (aged 25), Girish (aged 20), and Rajeev Roshan (the eldest brother). The youngest son, Nitish, with a disability, stayed home. Their household expenses were sustained by the store. But in the 1990s, troubles began for them as Shahabuddin's influence started to escalate.
Four times a Member of Parliament from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Shahabuddin was notorious for collecting extortion and eliminating adversaries mercilessly. His mansion in Siwan functioned as a 'court' where he delivered verdicts on disputes. The family of Chanda Babu lived under that looming threat. But they never bowed down. Their peace ended when the extortion demands overturned their world.
16 August 2004
It was about 10 in the morning when Shahabuddin's henchmen—Aftab, Jhabbu Miya, Rajkumar Shah, Sheikh Aslam, Monu aka Sonu aka Arif Hussain, and Maksud Miya—arrived at Chanda Babu's store. They demanded an extortion amount of 250,000 rupees. However, Chanda Babu refused. Satish, present at the store, offered 30,000 to 40,000 rupees, but the henchmen declined.
The armed goons then started to assault Satish and looted over two lakh rupees from the cash counter. Rajeev arrived and witnessed it all. In self-defense, Satish fetched acid from the bathroom and splashed it on them, even hitting Rajeev accidentally. Chaos ensued, and the assailants abducted Satish, leaving the store burning after looting it.
They whisked Satish away to Shahabuddin's ancestral village, Pratappur, and also kidnapped his brother Girish from another store. Rajeev managed a covert escape but was eventually captured too. Allegedly, all three brothers were taken to Shahabuddin's mansion, where Rajeev was tied up. It's reported that Shahabuddin himself was on site, decreeing, 'Teach the rebellious a lesson.'
Acid Poured Over Satish and Girish
Following Shahabuddin's command, his henchmen drenched Satish and Girish with buckets full of acid. Both agonized to death right in front of their brother. The brutality wouldn't stop there. Their bodies were dismembered and sealed in sacks, which were then discarded into the river. A grieving Rajeev—an eyewitness to this atrocity—was left alive, presumably to instill fear in Chanda Babu. On that day, Chanda Babu was visiting his brother in Patna.
The Family in Disarray
News of the heinous crime spread like wildfire in Siwan. Chanda Babu received a phone call warning, 'Don't return to Siwan, you'll be killed.' It was relayed that two sons were dead and the third was imprisoned. Two days later, Rajeev managed to find refuge in Uttar Pradesh's Padrauna by hiding in a sugarcane-laden tractor. Meanwhile, Chanda Babu's wife, daughters, and disabled son Nitish fled the home. The family had scattered. Later, a phone call falsely claimed their third son also died, but it was a lie. Despite being shattered, Chanda Babu never gave up hope.
Source: aajtak
The Plot to Murder Chanda Babu
Shahabuddin's henchmen devised a plot, luring Chanda Babu back to Siwan under false pretenses, saying his son had fallen from a roof. The intent was to kill him. Despite the danger, Chanda Babu returned to Siwan. He attempted to meet the Superintendent of Police (SP), but found the office closed. The local police urged him to leave Siwan immediately. Yet he persisted. He met with a major political leader in Patna, who ultimately declined support.
Threats to Chanda Babu's Brother
The thugs weren't done. They threatened Chanda Babu's brother, who lived in Patna, leading him to end his support and relocate to Mumbai in fear. Even there, the threats continued. Tragically, he succumbed to a heart attack in Mumbai. Chanda Babu found himself isolated.
A Meeting with a Prominent Leader in Delhi
Beset by threats and desperation, Chanda Babu tirelessly wandered around Patna, resembling a wandering sage. Neglecting food and water for days, he eventually found refuge with a kind-hearted legislator. News arrived that Rajeev was alive, bolstering his resolve. He sought help from a leader in Sonpur who penned a letter to DGP Narayan Mishra. Letters were dispatched to the IG and DIG, but no action followed. Frustrated, he traveled to Delhi to meet Rahul Gandhi, receiving only empty promises. Gaining strength, he returned to Siwan.
Plea for Security
Back in Siwan, Chanda Babu bravely approached the SP's residence, armed with a letter from the DIG requesting security. Despite being advised to leave Siwan, the DIG intervened, reprimanding the SP, and ensured Chanda Babu received guards. Living under security, the family tried to regain some normalcy, even arranging Rajeev’s marriage. But the threat loomed large, as Shahabuddin's menace persisted, knowing Rajeev remained a critical eyewitness.
16 June 2014
Eighteenth days post-marriage, Rajeev was shot dead at the DAV junction in Siwan on June 16. He had already testified in court, resulting in Shahabuddin’s conviction in the acid case. Now all three sons of Chanda Babu were gone. The family rested upon Nitish and their parents. Kalavati Devi filed an FIR, naming Shahabuddin and his son Osama. The murder underscored Shahabuddin’s continued influence over his gang from behind bars. Chanda Babu recounts, 'I’ve been killed three times.'
Noose Tightens on Shahabuddin
In 2004, charges of murder under section 302 of the IPC were filed against Shahabuddin in connection with the acid attack, but no arrest followed. It wasn’t until 2005, with a government change and Nitish Kumar at the helm in Bihar, that pressure mounted. Arrested in June 2005 from Delhi, he appeared in court via video conferencing, facing 39 heinous charges including kidnapping and murder, securing bail in 38 cases, with the acid case as the exception.
9 December 2015
A special court declared Shahabuddin, along with Rajkumar Sah, Sheikh Aslam, and Arif alias Sonu, guilty of the double murder in the acid case. Two days later, they received life sentences. Undeterred, Chanda Babu continued his fight. In 2017, the Patna High Court upheld the life sentence.
30 October 2018
Shahabuddin appealed to the Supreme Court, yet the apex court upheld the sentence, inquiring 'Why was Rajeev killed?' Before that, in 2016, Shahabuddin obtained bail in Rajeev’s murder case, later canceled by the Supreme Court. Chanda Babu fought the legal battle for 15 years. His wife, Kalavati Devi, passed in 2019, followed by his own demise from a heart attack on 16 December 2020. The only survivor was his son, Nitish, left to confront the world with his limitations.
1 May 2021 - Shahabuddin's Death
The grim tale of culpability closed with Shahabuddin's death from COVID-19 on 1 May 2021. Bihar elections rarely overlook mention of Siwan's Shahabuddin, a name synonymous with terror, contrasted starkly by Chanda Babu’s enduring courage—a testament to the survival and pursuit of justice. 'We lost everything, but we never gave up,' states Chanda Babu's son Nitish.
