PATNA: Four people, including RJD MLA Ritlal Yadav, surrendered before a Patna court on Thursday after an arrest warrant was issued against them in connection with an extortion and threat case.
The action followed days after a police team recovered cash, documents related to land and blank cheques from the house of RJD MLA Ritlal Yadav at Kothwa under Danapur police station limits on April 11.
Ritlal and three other associates identified as Chikku Yadav, Sharavan Yadav and Pinku Yadav--surrendered before the chief judicial magistrate, Danapur sub-divisional court, which remanded them to 14-day judicial custody and later sent them to Beur central jail in Patna.
Superintendent of Police (SP), Patna West, Sharath R S confirmed that Ritlal and his associates surrendered before the Danapur court in Patna earlier in the day.
“Further legal proceedings are being followed,” he told this reporter over phone.
Ritlal, facing charges of murder, kidnapping and extortion, told the media that he had been falsely implicated in the case.
“I am being victimised due to political reasons. There is threat to my life. I might be killed. If I remain alive, I will file bail petitions soon,” he told the media in the court premises.
Earlier, the MLA’s wife alleged that police wanted to eliminate her husband in a fake encounter.
“The raid at our house was aimed at killing my husband in a police encounter. We have faith in judiciary and hope justice will be done with us,” she added.
Sources said that Ritlal and his associates demanded huge money as extortion from a builder-cum-developer and threatened him with dire consequences if he failed to follow their diktats. The builder lodged a complaint against Ritlal and his henchmen.
In the complaint, builder alleged that he was getting extortion and life-threatening calls from the accused for the last several days. There were also allegations that the accused forged certain documents related to a property. The builder is constructing an apartment in Khagaul area, an investigating officer said.
He revealed that police seized Rs.10 lakh in cash, cheques of Rs.77 lakh, six blank cheques, 14 deed documents related to sale and purchase of properties and 17 cheque books during the search operation on April 11.
All the accused were absconding after the searches at 11 locations of the MLA and his associates in the state capital.