Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Newly elected Purnea MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav has landed in trouble after a Purnea-based furniture businessman lodged a case of extortion against him at the Muffasil police station. Based on the complaint, the Purnea police have formed a team to investigate the case.
The businessman has alleged that Mr. Pappu Yadav and his associate Amit Yadav demanded extortion money.
The police on June 10 said a complaint had been lodged against Mr. Pappu Yadav and his associate.
He is already an accused in cases of kidnapping and rioting, and a murder case is pending in the Supreme Court.
The six-time MP had defeated the sitting Janata Dal (United) candidate Santosh Kushwaha and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Bima Bharti, who stood third in the battle of Lok Sabha election.
According to the police, Mr. Pappu Yadav and his associate first demanded the extortion money of ₹10 lakh on April 2, 2021, then in 2023 during Durga Puja, the businessman was made a WhatsApp call and ₹15 lakh was demanded. On April 5, 2024, the businessman was asked to visit Arjun Bhavan, the office of Mr. Pappu Yadav, and ₹15 lakh was demanded. Again on June 4, when the results were announced, Mr. Amit Yadav called the businessman and told him that Mr. Pappu Yadav had won the election and if he wanted to stay in Purnea, he had to pay ₹1 crore.
The complaint also said that if the businessman does not pay the money he will have to leave Purnea because Mr. Pappu Yadav will be the MP for next five years.
The police filed the case under Section 385 (putting a person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
Reacting to the complaint, Mr. Pappu Yadav called it a politically motivated act.
“Today, people are troubled by my growing influence in the politics of the country and the State and the growing affection of the common people. A disgusting conspiracy has been hatched in Purnea. We will completely expose this conspiracy of an officer and the opponents. A fair investigation should be conducted under the Supreme Court and whoever is found guilty should be hanged,“ Mr. Pappu Yadav wrote on social media X.
