PATNA: Independent MP from Purnia, Rajesh Ranjan, also known as Pappu Yadav, was admitted to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on Saturday after developing health complications following his arrest late Friday night in connection with a 1995 case.
Yadav was initially admitted to the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) on Friday night, soon after his arrest, and was later taken to the Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology (IGIC) for a check-up.
He was arrested after failing to appear in court in a case accusing him of illegally renting a house in Patna’s Gardanibagh area to use as his party office. The case had been filed against him and others at the Gardanibagh police station.
When police arrived at his residence in the Mandiri locality to take him into custody, Yadav expressed concerns for his safety. “I am not well… I don’t know what will happen to me. I suspect the police may harm me. I want to go directly to court instead of the police station,” he said.
He added, “The court had summoned me the next day, and I may be placed under house arrest. Police came to my residence in civilian clothes. I thought they had come to kill me. Is this a criminal’s house? This case was registered around 35 years ago, and the police came to arrest me in connection with it.”
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi extended his support to Pappu Yadav on X, stating, “The death of a NEET aspirant in Patna under mysterious circumstances, and the actions that followed, have exposed the deep rot in the system. When the victim's family demanded a fair investigation and justice, the same old BJP-NDA playbook came into play—derailing the case, harassing the family, and shielding the culprits with state power.”
He added, “Standing firmly as the voice for justice for this daughter was fellow MP Pappu Yadav. His arrest today is clearly an act of political vendetta, aimed at intimidating and silencing every voice that demands accountability. The alarming fact is that this incident is not confined to a single case. It points to a worrying pattern where more daughters are falling victim, and those in power remain indifferent. This is not politics; it is a matter of justice and the honour and safety of Bihar’s daughters.”