Bihar: Independent MP Pappu Yadav Accused Of Extorting Rs 1 Crore From Businessman, Case Registered

Bihar MP Rajesh Ranjan (Pappu Yadav) has been accused of extorting Rs 1 crore from a businessman on the day of the vote count, threatening to kill him if the demand was not met.

File photo of Independent candidate from Purnea constituency Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav. ( Image Source :PTI )

A case was registered on Monday against newly elected Bihar Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav following a businessman accused him of trying to extort money. As per the police statements, Yadav summoned the complainant, a furnishing business owner in his constituency, to his residence on June 4, the day of the vote count, and demanded "Rs 1 crore" from him.

"The complainant alleged that Yadav, who had earlier made similar demands in 2021 and 2023, threatened to kill him if the demand was not met and warned him that he would have to deal with the MP for the next five years," PTI quoted police as saying.

A case has been filed against the MP and his close aide Amit Yadav at the mofussil police station under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, for which an investigation is ongoing.

Pappu Yadav Won Over JD (U) MP Santosh Kushwaha

Throughout his more than three-decade political career, Yadav has frequently been accused of using strongarm tactics. He won the Purnea seat from two-term JD (U) MP Santosh Kushwaha.

According to news agency PTI, Yadav, who married Congress Rajya Sabha MP Ranjit Ranjan, had merged his Jan Adhikar Party with Congress before the elections but ran as an Independent due to the reluctance of the party to engage in a "friendly fight" with ally RJD.

RJD candidate Bima Bharti, a former JD(U) member who had switched parties, finished third and ended up losing her deposit.

Yadav had won by a margin of 23,847 votes over Kushwaha, receiving over 5.67 lakh votes, while the JD(U) candidate received 5.43 lakh votes. Bharti has secured only 27,120 votes.

As per the TOI report, soon after the Lok Sabha election results, on Saturday he blamed RJD’s Tejashwi Prasad Yadav for the defeat of the opposition I.N.D.I.A bloc in Bihar. Pappu also stated that due to Tejashwi's arrogance, the opposition alliance suffered a loss in Bihar and Rahul Gandhi could not become the Prime Minister.