Purnea MP Pappu Yadav gets bail in extortion case

In a relief for the newly elected Purnea Lok Sabha member Rajesh Ranjan, alias Pappu Yadav, the Purnea Chief Judicial Magistrate court granted him bail in an extortion case

In a relief for the newly elected Purnea Lok Sabha member Rajesh Ranjan, alias Pappu Yadav, the Purnea Chief Judicial Magistrate court granted him bail in an extortion case.

A Purnea-based furniture businessman Raja Kumar had lodged a case of extortion against Mr. Yadav at the Muffasil Police station. Based on the complaint, the Purnea police had lodged an FIR against him.

In the complaint, the businessman had alleged that Mr. Yadav and his associate, Amit Yadav, had demanded money from him. According to the FIR, the MP and his associate had called the complainant several times since 2021 and had demanded cash of up to Rs 1 crore.

Judge Shyamal Kumar granted bail to Mr. Yadav on two bail bonds of ₹10,000. In the court, Mr. Yadav’s advocate said the mobile number mentioned in the FIR, from which the alleged extortion call was made, does not belong to his client.

After coming out of the court, Mr. Yadav, an Independent MP, said he was “deeply saddened and hurt” by the allegation levelled against him. He said he will ensure that those trying to tarnish his image are punished legally. Mr. Yadav said he had never met the complainant.

Police had lodged a complaint under sections 385 (putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

“I am 57 years old and have never faced so much of mental torture in my life. The FIR is a conspiracy against me by the police and a few influential political leaders who are feeling threatened due to my mass acceptance. The call details between the police in-charge and the complainant should be investigated. I will fight against the FIR till the Supreme Court and will not spare anyone,” Mr. Yadav said.