Booked for lockdown violation, Tej Pratap Yadav demands case against Jharkhand govt

Tej Pratap Yadav was booked by Jharkhand Police for flouting lockdown norms during Ranchi visit.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tej Pratap Yadav has demanded that the Jharkhand Police withdraw the case against him and others for allegedly violating COVID-19 lockdown guidelines during his visit to Ranchi. Speaking to news agency ANI, Tej Pratap said that a case should instead be filed against the state government.

“The case should be filed against the Jharkhand government. I went to visit my father. I demanded a guest house from the government, but I was not provided one,” he said.

The RJD leader was booked by police on August 29 after he visited Ranchi and stayed at a hotel without permission. The FIR was lodged against him under sections 188, 269, 270, and 34 of IPC at Ranchi’s Chutia police station on a written complaint of a circle officer (CO). The circle officer had received information that rooms had been given to Tej Pratap flouting the rules during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I cannot sleep on the road,” Lalu’s elder son said, adding that his convoy comprised four cars and the rest of the people joined him without his knowledge.

The RJD is a constituent of the ruling alliance led by Hemant Soren in the state of Jharkhand. The party has one MLA in the Legislative Assembly.

The CO in his complaint said that it was found after verification that Tej Pratap Yadav and others were staying at the hotel without obtaining permission from concerned authorities. The officer added that Tej Pratap left for Patna without following home quarantine rules.

This, the CO said, is the violation of government guidelines and is against the Disaster Management Act.

Tej Pratap visited Ranchi on August 27 and met his father Lalu Prasad Yadav at RIMS director’s bungalow. Lalu is convicted in multiple fodder scam cases. He is serving life terms for his role in a multi-crore scam. He is currently undergoing treatment at RIMS.

Lalu’s sons Tej Pratap and Tejashwi frequently visit him at the hospital.

Meanwhile, a case has also been filed against the owner and manager of the hotel under sections 188 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.