Patna: Khurshid Ahmad alias Firoz, the only Muslim minister in chief minister Nitish Kumar's cabinet, has received a threat call asking him to leave JDU before 2019 or face dire consequences.

After receiving the threat, Khurshid, who holds the minority welfare and sugarcane ministry in the cabinet, lodged a complaint with Kotwali police station. "Based on the complaint, the police have registered a case under various sections of IT Act," Kotwali police station house officer (SHO) Rama Shankar Singh said

The minister received the threat call when he was meeting party (JDU) workers and people from his constituency Sikta (West Champaran) at his Daroga Rai residence.

Later, he said: "I was at my official residence. Around 11am I received a call. The caller asked me to leave the JDU before 2019 or be ready to face dire consequences."

The call lasted two minutes during which the caller also abused the minister. This is the fourth time in the past year that that the minister has received a death threat. A few months back, the minister had received a similar call and the cops nabbed a physically challenged youth from Nawada.

According to the minister he had received an internet call from an eight-digit number, 94734406. Khurshid said he was not afraid. "I'm committed to the JDU and Nitish Kumar and will leave the party only after my death. It is ploy by some anti-social elements who are behind such incidents." The minister claimed he has faith in police and the caller will be nabbed soon.

Khurshid has been in the news in the past when, seeing the growing proximity between the BJP and JDU, he had chanted "Jai Sri Ram". The Imarat-e-Shariah, a socio-religious Muslim organisationhad then issued a fatwa against Khurshid and even called for ostracising him. JDU leaders then made Khurshid issue an apology.