Patna, June 17: The principal of Patna's Dayanand Vidyalaya today alleged that RJD MLA Bhai Virendra forcibly took his signature on plain papers in a bid to take over the school, and that the lawmaker's supporters roughed him up.

The allegation, denied by the legislator from Maner, is a throwback to the dark days of the Lalu Prasad-Rabri Devi era when musclemen owing allegiance to the ruling establishment were accused of seizing property and businesses with impunity, earning the regime the notorious sobriquet of "jungle raj".

Dayanand Vidyalaya, which belongs to the Arya Samaj, is located at Mithapur in the heart of the city. The Plus-Two boys' school is spread over around 40,000 square feet in a prime location, whose value at current market prices would run into crores. The state government has given it the status of a minority educational institution and provides funds for the salary and pension for teachers and other officials, and also for the school's maintenance.

Dayanand Vidyalaya principal Ramesh Prasad said the legislator has no say in the affairs of the school as its governing by-laws stipulate that it be run by a nine-member management committee comprising three persons nominated by the office of the director of secondary education, two representatives of the guardians of students studying in it, two representatives of people who give donations to it, the principal, and the senior-most teacher of the school.

"Bhai Virendra barged into the school with around 35-40 people, threatened me with dire consequences and forcibly took my signature on plain papers in an attempt to grab the school," Prasad told The Telegraph. "I verbally protested, but could not do anything as I was afraid. Once the MLA moved out, his supporters abused and roughed me up. Other teachers saved me."

Ramesh said he was in the process of submitting complaints against the MLA to the police, education department authorities and the district magistrate over the incident that "shook me up badly".

Virendra, who claims to be a follower of the Arya Samaj, accepted that he had visited the school today to attend a meeting. "There was no scuffle or any problem while I was present in the school," the four-term MLA told The Telegraph. "I always respect the law and never take it in my hand. Everybody knows this. I always go by the rules. The principal of the school has been involved in financial irregularities and his role is being probed."

The heavily built Virendra started his political career with the Samata Party in the 1990s, but switched over to the RJD and is considered to be close to party chief Lalu Prasad.

Virendra, who won the last Assembly elections from Maner constituency in Patna district, and former BJP MLC Ganga Prasad sparred over who was the real pradhan (chief) of the Bihar Rajya Arya Pratinidhi Sabha, the supreme body of the Arya Samaj in the state.

Virendra claimed he was unanimously elected the Sabha pradhan for a three-year term in September last year at a meeting attended by over 1,000 Sabha members, and "by dint of holding the post" he also heads the school management committee. He alleged that fellow Arya Samaj follower Ganga, the previous Sabha pradhan, was forcibly continuing in the post despite his tenure getting over, and that Ganga had cooked up the controversy.

When contacted, Ganga said: "The RJD MLA arrived with several men and tore my nameplate and vandalised my office there. He screamed that his government was in the state, hence he will be the pradhan. He behaved like a muscleman. The letter he possesses to stake claim to the post is fake and should be probed. Everybody knows that he is doing all this to capture the school."

During the Lalu-Rabri era, such complaints from businessmen - that their ventures were taken over at gun point and that they were forced to sign on blank deed papers and given "token amounts" - were common. Hotels and restaurants changed hands overnight, mostly to henchmen of powerful politicians. Even government land was not spared, making way for commercial ventures.