GAYA: An MP’s son was arrested for consuming liquor in dry
Bihar on Sunday morning. This is for the second time that the 22-year-old has been arrested for violating the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act which has made sale and consumption of alcohol an offence since April 2016.
Police said
Rahul Manjhi, son of BJP’s
Gaya MP
Hari Manjhi, was arrested in an inebriated state from Nama village under the Bodh Gaya police station area this time. His friend, Munarik Chaudhary, was also arrested from the spot.
Gaya SSP Garima Malik told this correspondent on Monday the duo were subjected to breathalyzer test that confirmed alcohol consumption by them. They were forwarded to jail on Sunday evening.
The MP's son was earlier arrested in an inebriated state from the
Magadh Medical College police station area on the outskirts of Gaya town on December 14, 2016. Police have already submitted a chargesheet against him in this case in which he is on bail.
According to police sources, Rahul now falls in the category of repeat offender and, as such, faces seven years’ rigorous imprisonment if the accusation is found true by a court.
While the MP could not be contacted, BJP spokesperson Yogesh Kumar distanced the party from the episode. “An offender is an offender, whoever he may be,” Yogesh said.
A two-term BJP MP, Hari has been courting controversy ever since his election in 2009. Soon after becoming an MP, the 'non-Matric' (as per his election affidavit) neta was caught on camera administering injection to a patient. Sources said he allegedly practised quackery before getting elected as MP. The Gaya chapter of Indian Medical Association even used this photograph in its campaign against quackery.
The MP again hit the headlines a year ago for liking an FB post of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, which was highly critical of the BJP. The post carried an open letter to the PM and taunted him saying “Your ministers keep dogs and not cows”. A few months back, a video clipping of the BJP MP purportedly meeting Lalu went viral.
Representative image