New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is to take over the murder case of Bihar journalist Rajdeo Ranjan and a probe team would soon leave for Siwan, sources said on Wednesday. The CBI would take over the case from Siwan Police which said that Ranjan's killing was part of a premeditated conspiracy.

Patna: A bill providing for upto capital punishment to those manufacturing or trading illicit liquor in the event of hooch tragedy was unanimously passed by both Bihar legislature which also adopted a resolution unanimously that its members will not consume liquor.

Patna/Siwan: The visit of a Bihar Minister and an RJD MLA to Siwan jail to meet imprisoned RJD strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin has kicked up political storm with Opposition BJP seeking dismissal of the minister.

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar claimed the state had "witnessed a steady decline in crime" and termed the alleged spurt in crime graph as a "perception created by the Opposition".

New Delhi: Lok Janshakti Party slammed the Nitish Kumar government over "deteriorating" law and order situation in Bihar and demanded imposition of President's Rule in the state, hours after an NDA delegation met Governor Ram Nath Kovind on the issue.

Munger: An Assistant Sub Inspector of Police was killed in an encounter between police and supporters of Maoists in Bihar's naxal-hit Munger district.

Patna: Touted as a backward state, Bihar is all set to test a scheme which may serve as a benchmark for the nation. Parallel to traditional bureaucracy, a work force of 1500 youths is going to make entry into the functioning of state to implement the seven pledges of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar through Bihar Development Mission with 100 percent transparency. It's first-of-its-kind experiment anywhere in the country.

Patna: The Opposition BJP yesterday dared 'bechara Mukhya Mantri' (helpless Chief Minister) Nitish Kumar to act against the ruling party MLAs allegedly involved in criminal activities to make it clear that 'rule of law is prevalent in Bihar'.

Patna: Nitish Kumar government yesterday decided to impose 13.5 percent tax on luxury items including on sweets priced more than Rs 500 a kg and mosquito repellant among others to mop up additional revenue for carrying development work. Decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of state cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar here.

Patna: With the BJP attacking West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over Malda violence accusing her of playing communal politics, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar yesterday came in support of Trinamool Congress chief.

Hajipur: In a breakthrough in the murder case of engineer Ankit Kumar Jha in Bihar's Vaishali district last week, two accused persons were yesterday arrested, a senior police official said.

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar owns movable and immovable assets worth about Rs 60 lakh even as his son Nishant has assets about four-times more than his father.

Patna: Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi called RJD supremo Lalu Prasad 'Super CM' of Bihar claiming that he remote-controlled the grand alliance government, a day after Prasad asked the Nitish Kumar dispensation to take all measures to restore law and order.

Patna: A ransom of Rs 75 crore was demanded from the private construction company that employed the two engineers who were killed in Bihar's Darbhanga district, a company official said yesterday.

Patna: An engineer was found murdered in Bihar Vaishali district yesterday, the second such incident in four days after two engineers were shot dead in broad daylight in Darbhanga for apparently defying extortionists' demand for protection money.

Patna: Faced with the charge of return of 'jungle raj' in Bihar amid the spurt in crime in the state, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad said those who had challenged law and order during his rule were doing it again. Lalu asked the Nitish Kumar government to take all measures to restore law and order situation in the state.

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar yesterday proposed banning hooters in vehicles barring those of the Governor, Patna High Court Chief Justice, fire engines and ambulances to check increasing sound pollution.

Patna: Bihar government has decided to set up a super emergency operation centre armed with latest equipment and resources here and emergency operation centres in other districts of the state.

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had a long meeting with his Punjab counterpart Parkash Singh Badal  during which they discussed arrangements for 350th Prakash Utsav of Sikh Guru Govind Singh.

Patna: The Nitish Kumar government unveiled its strategy to enforce prohibition of alcohol in Bihar in phases as part of which there would be total ban on country liquor from April 1 next year.

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar came out in support of his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal and slammed the CBI raid in the CM office by calling it a 'breach of decency in the relationship between the Centre and the state government'.

New Delhi: The JD(U) today condemned the CBI raid at the office of Delhi CM's Principal secretary, terming it as 'dictatorial and intimidatory tactics' by the NDA government and called upon all non-BJP parties to register their protest against it.

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today gave direction for establishment of a veterinary university here for better upkeep of animals.

Patna: The old parents of two youth - for whose murder former MP Mohammad Shahabuddin and three others were on awarded life imprisonment by a Siwan court - expressed dissatisfaction over the verdict and demanded death sentence for the politician.

Patna: Citing the latest NITI Ayog report showing Bihar as the fastest growing state in terms of gross state domestic product (GSDP) clocking a growth rate of 17.06 percent in 2014-15, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said it has proved BJP leaders 'wrong' on their claims about the state's development made during assembly polls.