PATNA — The arrest of Purnea MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav in a 1995 forgery case has triggered sharp political reactions across party lines in Bihar, with the ruling NDA maintaining that the action followed judicial orders, while Opposition leaders questioned the timing of the move.
Reacting to the arrest, BJP Bihar President Sanjay Saraogi said Pappu Yadav has been facing criminal cases for years and was declared absconding by the court. “Orders for attachment and seizure had already been issued. The court has clearly stated that the absconding accused must surrender. When warrants or attachment orders are issued, it becomes the responsibility of the administration to ensure arrest and imprisonment,” he said.
JD-U national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan said the case dates back more than three decades and is being handled by the judiciary. “This is a 31-year-old fraud case which has been handed over to the CBI. Undoubtedly, you reap what you sow; there may be a delay in the work of the judiciary, but not injustice,” he said.
JD-U spokesperson and Bihar MLC Neeraj Kumar also dismissed claims of a political vendetta, saying judicial processes should not be linked to unrelated issues. “If an MP is absconding and a confiscation order has been issued, how can it be claimed that his arrest is connected to the NEET case? The judiciary has declared him absconding, issued a warrant and ordered confiscation,” he said.
However, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha questioned the urgency of action in a decades-old case. “What concerns me is the timing. A case that is 35 years old — what suddenly made it so urgent? At a time when a NEET student has died, and there is widespread anger in Bihar, all parties are raising questions. Is the intention to silence voices?” he asked.
The Bihar Police arrested Pappu Yadav on Friday in connection with the 1995 forgery case, leading to high-voltage drama at his residence in Patna. He was later admitted to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) after complaining of health issues.
According to official sources, the MP-MLA Special Court had ordered the attachment of property against Pappu Yadav and two others after they repeatedly failed to appear before the court despite arrest warrants and proclamations. The case pertains to the alleged fraudulent renting of a house and its misuse by projecting it as an MP’s office, following which FIR No. 552/1995 was registered at the Gardanibagh police station.
Pappu Yadav has alleged police high-handedness and claimed political vendetta, asserting that he was targeted for raising his voice in sensitive matters, including the recent death of a NEET aspirant. Police, however, have maintained that the arrest was carried out strictly in compliance with court orders. — IANS
