Tuesday, 17 February 2026
Tuesday, 17 February 2026
Independent Bihar MP Rajesh Ranjan, popularly known as Pappu Yadav, was arrested by Patna police late Friday night from his Mandiri residence in connection with a case dating back to 1995.
The arrest followed a tense standoff at Yadav’s home after a police team arrived to execute a warrant issued by an MP/MLA court in a case registered under Section 467 (forgery of documents) of the Indian Penal Code.
Yadav, who represents the Purnea Lok Sabha constituency, initially refused to go with the police, arguing that the document they carried was meant for the attachment of property and not for his arrest.
He was later taken into custody and is scheduled to be produced before a competent court on Saturday. The police team reached Yadav’s residence barely an hour after he returned from New Delhi, where he had attended the ongoing Parliament session.
Confirming the move earlier in the evening, Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna, Kartikeya Sharma told PTI: “A warrant has been issued against the MP by the MP/MLA court here in connection with a 1995 case lodged under Section 467 (forgery of documents) of the IPC. The police team has gone to his house to produce him before the court tomorrow.”
As news of the police action spread, a large number of Yadav’s supporters gathered outside his residence. Several of them were seen arguing with police personnel as the situation escalated.
Speaking to reporters before his arrest, Yadav maintained that he had already intended to appear before the court the next day.
“I have been telling these police personnel that I shall be appearing before the court tomorrow. In fact, that is the very reason I came here today. But, of course, I will not hand myself over to them,” he said.
The former chief of the Jan Adhikar Party, who has a long criminal record, accused the police of acting improperly and claimed that some personnel were not in uniform.
“They are misbehaving with my supporters and me. Moreover, they failed to furnish an arrest warrant when I asked for the same. All that they could produce was a warrant to attach my property,” Yadav said.
He also alleged that the action was politically motivated and linked it to his criticism of the Bihar government.
“This has always been the case with me whenever my deeds expose the shortcomings of the government in the state. Police had tried to hound me out during the Covid pandemic when I was serving the people whom the government had forsaken.
“Of late, I have been highlighting the ineptitude of the government in handling incidents like the recent death of a NEET aspirant, which has brought to light the insecurity faced by girl students living in hostels in the city,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Yadav had told reporters at Patna airport that he had been receiving calls from girl students alleging that hostel inmates were being pushed into the flesh trade.
The MP, who is married to a Congress Rajya Sabha MP and supports the party, publicly challenged Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who also holds the Home portfolio, to act against the alleged racket.
Yadav also used the opportunity to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his absence during the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address in the Lok Sabha.
“Fear had prevented the leader, who claims to have a 56-inch chest, from facing the Lok Sabha. He would do better to go and find shelter at some secure island,” he said, without taking the Prime Minister’s name.
