Shilpi gautam case: The ghost of the Shilpi-Gautam case has once again surfaced just before the Bihar assembly elections 2025. But this time this matter can prove to be more challenging for the BJP because the name of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Samrat Chaudhary is coming out in this infamous case. On September 29, Jansuraj chief Prashant Kishore raised the issue during a press conference and accused Bihar government minister and JDU leader Ashok Chaudhary of corruption. He then raised questions about Emperor Chaudhary’s degree and age and demanded that he be removed from his post and arrest. The biggest shock occurred when Prashant Kishore directly told Emperor Chaudhary to clarify whether he is suspicious in the Shilpi-Gautam case.
The Shilpi-Gautam case is considered a black chapter in the political history of Bihar. The incident in 1999 shook the entire state. At that time Bihar was under the rule of Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi, which political experts often remember as “Jungle Raj”. The incident started on the night of 2 July 1999 when Shilpi Jain and her lover Gautam Singh, who hail from Patna, were killed. Shilpi was also accused of gang rape before the murder. The next day the bodies of both were found in a garage, which was near the residence of Sadhu Yadav, brother of the then Chief Minister Rabri Devi. Sadhu Yadav’s name came up several times in this case, but never found any concrete evidence that he had a hand in this incident. The CBI investigated the case, despite seeking DNA samples from Sadhu Yadav, he could not find it and eventually the case was officially closed as a “suicide case”.
Prashant Kishore, in his latest allegations, linked the name of Emperor Chaudhary to this old case and said that he was named as suspected accused in the case. He asked for the answer to this question and said that Emperor Chaudhary should first answer it openly, then he will bring the related documents related to this matter to the public. PK also alleged that Lalu Prasad Yadav had suppressed the case to save Sadhu Yadav, which obstructed the path of justice.
At the same time, Emperor Chaudhary has dismissed all these allegations outright. He said that he is not even aware of the matter. He told that a person named Rakesh who is being connected to this case is an ice cream selling of Hajipur and has nothing to do with it. He asked Prashant Kishore to withdraw the legal notice and warned that he would sue Rs 500 crore for not doing so.
This case can not only create panic in Bihar politics, but can also affect the electoral strategy. The Shilpi-Gautam case has often been used by the BJP as a black chapter of RJD’s “Jungle Raj”. If the name of a big BJP leader is added to this case, then it can become a big challenge for the BJP on the electoral front. This allegation can weaken the BJP’s “Jungle Raj “‘s Narrator against Tejashwi Yadav, which can give RJD new political enthusiasm.
Currently, Prashant Kishore has not presented any concrete documents in this case and is waiting for the response of Emperor Chaudhary. In the coming days, it will be interesting to see how big this matter takes into Bihar politics. But it is certain that such serious allegations in the election season will heat up the political atmosphere and all the parties will give their response to it.