Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara : RJD MLA from Barhara Assembly Constituency in Bhojpur district Saroj Yadav is in the eye of storm for allegedly threatening a dalit youth Bunty Paswan of village Nurpur under Sinha Police Outpost in the district with dire consequences.
When an audio went viral on social media, Saroj Yadav allegedly got Bunty Paswan change his statement. But, Bunty Paswan then lodged a named FIR against Saroj Yadav with SC/ST Police Station accusing the RJD MLA accusing him of abusing him and threatening with dire consequences, kidnapping and also forcibly getting his statement changed. Saroj Yadav had flared up on Bunty Paswan’s query about development works in Barhara Assembly Cnstituency.
Bhojpur SP Har Kishore Rai said that an FIR was lodged against the RJD MLA from Barhara and his men and police were investigating into the matter. He said Bunty Paswan has reached his house safely.
The SP said that Bunty Paswan of Nurpur village under Sinha police outpost, in his FIR, alleged that the RJD MLA from Barhara Saroj Yadav had called him on mobile on September 21, 2020, but he could not receive his call. When he called later, Saroj Yadav abused him and threatened to kidnap him.
Again on October 4, 2020, some youth came to him saying that they were Saroj Yadav’s men and asked him to refrain from canvassing for Manji Sah, the Rashtrawadi Lokjan Party (Satya) candidate from Barhara, threatening him with dire consequences if he did not yield to their dictate. When he was returning home after the nomination of Manji Sah on October 8, 2020 evening, seven armed miscreants kidnapped him at pistol point near Gangi and took him to Saroj Yadav’s house thrashing and threatening him on the way. At his residence, Saroj Yadav frightened him so much that he took U turn before the mediapersons and said that he had not threatened him, Bunty claimed. But he immediately went to the police station from there on October 9, 2020, late evening, and lodged an FIR against him and demanded security for himself and his family members.
The SP stated that police were examining the credibility of the audio and added that action would be taken after thorough investigation. Police are also quizzing Bunty Paswan, the SP added.
Bunty Paswan said that he was chatting with the nephew of the MLA Anand Yadav on WhatsApp and had talked about the development works in Barhara assembly constituency that annoyed Saroj Yadav and he threatened him with dire consequences. The audio of it went viral on social media.
Even Manji Sah, the Rashtrawadi Lokjan Party(Satya) candidate from Barhara Assembly Constituency, has demanded security from the district administration for himself. Manjhi Sah was earlier in race for RJD ticket from Barhara. As the RJD did not allot him ticket, he chose to contest election as Rashtrawadi Lokjan Party (Satya) candidate.
Saroj Yadav talked to the mediapersons at Community Hall at Bandhan Tola, Ara, on October 9, 2020, evening, and said that the BJP candidate Raghwendra Pratap Singh with the help of Bhojpur SP and police administration had conspired against him to tarnish his image. He added that Bunty Paswan’s parents were present with him at the presser He said that Bunty Paswan’s parents requested him on mobile to rescue their son. It was a fake audio in his voice to malign him, he claimed.
When contacted, the BJP candidate from Barhara Assembly Constituency, Raghwendra Pratap Singh rubbished the allegation against him.