Lalu Yadav’s son Tej Pratap Yadav arrested in Patna NEET protest case, sent to 14-day judicial custody | Patna News
PATNA: Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) national president Tej Pratap Yadav was on Sunday sent to 14 days’ judicial custody in connection with a case registered over a protest at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan during demonstrations against the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. His lawyer, Jagannath Singh, alleged irregularities in the arrest process and said a bail plea could be moved on Monday. “An FIR was filed on July 26, whereas the arrest took place on the July 25, at 7:30 pm, from the city centre mall. I just submitted an application to the judge for his release. He told me to process the bail demand on Monday. I reached Naubatpur police station at 10:30 am. There were 2 SPs there. I asked them the reason behind his arrest.
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His family members don’t even know that he was under arrest since 7.30 pm. We still haven’t gotten the copy of the FIR,” Singh told reporters. Yadav was detained by Bihar Police on Saturday after joining students protesting over the alleged NEET paper leak during a Bihar Bandh in Patna. Reacting to the arrest, JJD’s Bankipur by-election candidate Veena Manvi questioned the timing of the police action and alleged that party leaders had faced repeated “torture” since the start of the election campaign. “I don’t want to say anything. We’ve been tortured since the 13th. First, they (police) picked me on nomination day, then they picked him today. It seems like the entire Bankipur district is now dependent on the Janshakti Janata Dal. What’s wrong if we protest a little?… What crime did he commit? If the national flag was shown once among the children, was that a crime? And even if there was a crime in your opinion, they should have taken him away right then and there. But what’s the point in picking him up when he was having family time in the evening, going shopping? I also do not know the reason behind this.” Before being taken into custody, Yadav expressed support for the protesting students and urged the government to address their demands. “The children’s demands are legitimate. The government must fulfil their demands, and we stand firmly with them. I am ready to lay down my life for the students and youth,” he told reporters. His arrest came after violence erupted in Patna during a statewide Bihar Bandh called by several opposition parties and social organisations over the alleged NEET paper leak and recent police action against student protesters. A traffic police booth was allegedly vandalised during the protest, while clashes broke out between protesters and police. Stone-pelting was reported and police fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. The demonstrations were held across Bihar, with students demanding reforms in the education system and action over alleged irregularities in the examination process. Protesters also demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and vandalised police vehicles in Patna, prompting heavy police deployment. Pradhan has since stepped down following nationwide student protests over the alleged NEET paper leak. Announcing his resignation, Pradhan said he had submitted it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the interest of students and to ensure that the ongoing protests over examination irregularities were not exploited by “anti-national forces.” Following his resignation, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi was given additional charge of the Ministry of Education after President Droupadi Murmu accepted Pradhan’s resignation from the Union Council of Ministers.(With inputs from ANI)
