Bihar Politics: Crime and politics often go together. A scene of this has now been seen when Ayub Khan and Raees Khan, popularly known as ‘Khan Brothers’, formally joined Union Minister Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) in Siwan district of Bihar. Raees had recently announced that he would contest the assembly elections from Siwan.
Ayub Khan and Raees Khan are two brothers whose names once spread terror in Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.
On January 15 itself, the Khan brothers along with their supporters took membership of the party in the presence of party chief Chirag Paswan. The Khan brothers had arranged a helicopter for the party supremo for the ‘meeting ceremony’ held at Sahuli High School ground in Siwan. Paswan’s party said on ‘X’ – “Ayub Khan and Raees Khan along with their supporters joined the party inspired by the able leadership of Chirag Paswan and his ‘Bihar First, Bihari First’ vision. This is a commitment to the principles of the party. An important step towards this.”
Who are these Khan brothers?
Ayub Khan’s younger brother Raees Khan has reportedly been involved in at least 30 cases of murder, kidnapping, robbery and extortion in three states. The Bihar government had announced a reward for his arrest after his name cropped up in the kidnapping and murder of three youths from Siwan in 2022. Besides this, he is also accused of being involved in the murder of two policemen, BK Yadav and Ganesh Prasad Yadav, in Siwan district.
Raees Khan’s name was included in the list of 10 most wanted criminals of Siwan. In 2022, Raees Khan had contested the local body elections from Siwan, but had to face defeat.
Enmity with Shahabuddin
The Khan brothers had a long-standing enmity with Siwan’s don Shahabuddin. As long as Shahabuddin was in his position, the Khan Brothers stayed away from that area. But after Shahabuddin was sent to Tihar Jail and then he died during Covid, Raees Khan camped in Siwan.
Raees Khan’s election vehicle was attacked during the election campaign and Raees had then accused former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin’s son Osama and his supporters of plotting the attack. Osama and eight other people were made accused in the FIR lodged with Siwan Police.
The Khan brothers initially worked for Mohammad Shahabuddin’s gang, but they parted ways after Shahabuddin’s father Mohammad Kamrul Haq decided to contest the assembly elections in 2005.
Raees Khan was arrested from Noida, Uttar Pradesh in 2006 after an arrest warrant was issued by a court in Siwan. At least 30 cases of murder, robbery, dacoity, kidnapping and extortion were registered against Raees in various police stations of Siwan and Ballia (Uttar Pradesh).
In his affidavit during the Legislative Council elections, Raees Khan had given information about 12 cases against him including murder, kidnapping and other crimes. Brother Ayub is also wanted in many cases. Both are currently out on bail.
