Patna: Former Bihar minister Tej Pratap Yadav has been sent to judicial custody after police registered a case against him over allegations of attacking policemen during a protest during a protest over the NEET paper leak issue.
The Jan Shakti Janata Dal (JJD) chief was arrested on Saturday (July 25) evening and sent to Beur Central Jail on Sunday (July 26) after a magistrate ordered judicial custody.
The case includes several serious sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 109, which deals with an attempt to commit culpable homicide and can lead to a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison.
The FIR was filed at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan police station after a complaint related to the July 25 protest organised by the CJP-AISA groups during the Bihar bandh, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The police alleged that nearly 1,000 protesters violated restrictions, clashed with security personnel, damaged vehicles and injured policemen.
Yadav and unidentified protesters have been named in the case under various sections of the law.
Police accuse Tej Pratap of leading attack on officers
According to the complaint, a crowd allegedly led by him attacked policemen near Gate Number 10 of Gandhi Maidan using sticks, batons and stones. The police claimed that Gandhi Maidan station house officer and around half a dozen other personnel were injured during the incident.
The complaint also alleged that police vehicles parked at the spot were damaged. Officials said an attempt was made to detain Tej Pratap during the clash, but he managed to leave the area by taking advantage of the crowd.
The police later arrested him from a shopping mall in Patna on Saturday evening.
Lawyer claims illegal arrest
Tej Pratap’s lawyer Jagannath Singh has challenged the arrest, alleging that the JJD chief was taken into custody without proper procedure.
The lawyer said his client was first detained by the police on Saturday morning and released after some time, but was arrested again later in the day. He claimed that Tej Pratap was arrested around 7:30 pm from a Patna mall, while the FIR at the concerned police station was registered at around 12:15 am on Sunday.
“The fact is that he was arrested from a mall in Patna at around 7:30 pm on Saturday, while the FIR in the concerned police station was registered at around 12:15 am on Sunday. I will file a bail petition before the competent court on Monday and will also place this discrepancy before the court,” he said.
The lawyer added that Tej Pratap was sent to Beur Central Jail after being produced before a magistrate.
Tejashwi Yadav backs elder brother
Tej Pratap’s younger brother and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Working President Tejashwi Yadav criticised the arrest and accused the Bihar government of targeting Opposition leaders and protesters.
After returning to Patna following a long foreign holiday, he said his elder brother had been arrested on false charges.
“My elder brother has been wrongly arrested and false allegations have been made against him. I have received information that several of my party MLAs have also been detained for supporting the Bihar bandh. I warn the BJP government in Bihar that all cases registered against bandh supporters should be withdrawn; otherwise, we will launch a bigger agitation,” he said.
He also questioned why cases were being filed against protesters in Bihar when the central government had agreed to withdraw cases against demonstrators in Delhi.
Tejashwi accused Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary of using government agencies against political opponents and claimed that protesters were even threatened with AK-47 rifles.
Prashant Kishor alleges political targeting
Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor also criticised the action against Tej Pratap, alleging that he was being targeted after announcing support for his party in the Bankipur Assembly bypoll.
“We have repeatedly complained to the Election Commission that people supporting the Jan Suraaj Party are being harassed by the police and administration in Patna at the direction of the ruling BJP. Tej Pratap recently announced his support for the Jan Suraaj Party in the bypoll. This may be the reason why he is also being targeted,” he alleged.
The arrest has added another political confrontation in Bihar, with the NEET paper leak protests now becoming a major issue in the state ahead of the upcoming electoral battles. The case against Tej Pratap is expected to move further as his legal team prepares to seek bail.