Lalu Prasad Yadav case closed on Bihar government plea
A district court on Wednesday closed a case against RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav relating to an FIR registered against him during last Lok Sabha elections, on the plea of the state government, days after the government sought closure of another case against Mr Yadav and his two sons in connection with a party-sponsored bandh.
Judicial magistrate Gayatri Kumari ordered closure of the case against Mr Yadav registered against him with the Parsa bazaar police station in Patna district in 2014 on the request of the public prosecutor. The case was registered against the RJD chief on April 5, 2014 on the basis of the statement of circle officer of Phulwarisharif Sunita Prasad in connection with preventing a photographer deployed by her to shoot the roadshow Mr Yadav’s during campaign in Patliputra Lok Sabha seat. Mr Yadav’s eldest daughter Misa Bharti had unsuccessfully contested from Patliputra seat in 2014 general election. She had lost to Union minister of state for drinking water Ramkripal Yadav.
The FIR was registered against Mr Yadav under Sections 171 F (punishment for undue influence or personation at an election), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public function) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of IPC.
The chargesheet was filed in the case on May 27, 2015. The public prosecutor pleaded with judicial magistrate Gayatri Kumari for closure of the case, which was accepted by the court.
The order to close the case came close on heels of the state government withdrawing a case against him, his two minister-sons and others for alleged vandalism and stopping government officials during an RJD-sponsored bandh in 2015.
On January 19 last, the chief judicial magistrate’s court of Patna had accepted the plea of government lawyer for withdrawal of the case against 262 RJD leaders.
Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi had asked whether the step was not tantamount to defamation of the Patna high court which is separately hearing a case in connection with RJD bandh. The case would come up in the high court on February 1 next.