Tejashwi, Tej among Bihar ministers facing serious cases: From murder and criminal conspiracy to graft to dowry

Kartikeya Singh is, however, not the only minister of the new Bihar government against whom a criminal case has been pending. Among a slew of such ministers, a look at some of them who have been facing serious criminal charges.

Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Deputy CM

Top RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav is an MLA from Raghopur (Vaishali). He has declared in his 2020 Assembly election affidavit 11 cases pending against him. In K Haat Purnia case (541/2020), he faces charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 324 (causing hurt by dangerous weapons), 302 (murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 341 (wrongful restraint) and also under provisions of the Arms Act.

The Purnia police had filed the FIR in October 2020 against Tejashwi, Tej Pratap Yadav and one more person on the complaint of Khushboo Devi, whose husband Shakti Malik, former RJD secretary, was shot dead. The victim’s wife had accused the RJD leaders of having allegedly hired assailants to kill her husband. The RJD has called it a “political conspiracy” to defame their senior leaders.

Tejashwi also faces a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case (RC 220/2017, CBI 55/2019) under the IPC sections of 420 (forgery), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and also under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He also faces another case (ECIR/ 08/ HQ/2017) under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and three cases under the Benami Transactions (Prevention) Act.

Tej Pratap Yadav, environment, forest and climate change minister

Tej Pratap Yadav, Tejashwi’s elder brother, is an RJD MLA from Hasanpur (Samastipur). In his election affidavit, Tej Pratap mentioned five cases, including Purnia’s K Haat police station case, pending against him. These include two cases under the Epidemic and Disaster Management Act. He also faces a matrimonial case (1208/2018) under provisions of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act as well as another case (149/2019, Mahila police station, Patna) under the Dowry Prohibition Act.

Surendra Prasad Yadav, cooperative minister

Surendra Prasad Yadav is an RJD MLA from the Belaganj (Gaya) constituency. He faces a POCSO Act case (140/2018, Magadh police station) in which he also faces IPC section 353 (deterring a government servant) among other sections. He faces another case (11/2008) of criminal intimidation and breach of peace. Surendra also faces a case (MMCH 9/11) under the IPC sections of 307 (attempt to murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy) among other sections. Another case (138/2009, Parasi police station) under the

IPC sections of 307 (attempt to murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) has been pending against him too.

Ramanand Yadav, mines and geology minister

Ramanand Yadav is an RJD MLA from Fatuha (Patna). In his 2020 poll affidavit, he mentions four pending cases against him including an Arms Act case of 1996.

Jitendra Kumar Ray, art, culture and youth affairs minister

The RJD MLA from Marhaura (Saran), Jitendra Kumar Ray faces two cases of criminal intimidation, according to his election affidavit.

Downplaying these cases against the party’s ministers, the RJD’s national spokesperson Subodh Mehta told The Indian Express: “First, cases against anyone do not mean they are convicted. Some of them could be because of political vendetta and conspiracy of political opponents. Second, look at ADR report that shows how there are cases against leaders of all political parties. Broadly, let there be unanimity on electoral reforms and put in place a system where there is a fixed criteria to contest polls.”