Ranchi, April 22: JVM leader and Poreyahat MLA Pradip Yadav, who was on an indefinite hunger strike since April 16 to protest against land acqu-isition for Adani Group's proposed 1,600MW power plant and had several FIRs lodged against him, was arrested to-day and sent to Godda divisio-nal jail under judicial custody.

The Godda district administration had lodged four criminal cases against Yadav, who was on a fast at Gaighat village in Poreyahat block as a part of the JVM's agitation against the Adani Group project.

"An FIR was lodged against the MLA on March 5, for inciting tension soon after a public hearing on the environmental impact of the proposed power plant. The court had consequently issued an arrest warrant against him that was executed today. The second FIR was lodged on April 16 after he stalled the execution of his arrest warrant while sitting on an indefinite hunger strike," deputy commissioner Bhuvnesh Pratap Singh said.

The third FIR, he added, was lodged on April 17 after Yadav turned away a DDC who urged him to honour the law of the land by courting arrest.

On April 19, one Jamunadhar Mahto had lodged another FIR against Yadav and unidentified supporters for allegedly beating him up for agreeing to part with his land for the plant.

Yesterday, the DC had demarcated land in Gaighat and Petwi villages by tactfully dod-ging Yadav and his supporters.

Today, the MLA was arrested without the use of force. "We were aware that he always remained closely guarded by women and children at the hunger strike venue. By 3am, we had completed our preparation to catch him off guard and formally arrested him at 4.50am. He was taken to the chief judicial magistrate who remanded him to judicial custody. Before this, he was examined by a team of doctors and the reports showed that he was physically fit to stay in jail," Singh said.

Soon after Yadav's arrest, his supporters staged a dharna before the deputy commissioner's office. "The situation is under control. Some of the agitators were heard saying they turned the dharna venue into a camp jail. We are keeping a close watch," the DC added.

Singh said demarcation of land was over. Public hearings on rehabilitation and resettlement policy will be held on May 2, 3, and 4. Land donors in Patwa, Motia, Gangta and Govindpur villages in Godda block will take part in the public hearing on Gangta primary school premises on May 2.

For land donors of Mali village in Poreyahat block, the public hearing will be held on May 3 under a peepal tree in the village. The public hearing in Gaighat and Sonediha villages in the same block will be held on May 4 near the bridge over an irrigation canal.

"We are completing all formalities for the acquisition of 917.37 acres by the Adanis. Precautions have been taken to maintain transparency. Despite provocations from several quarters, we haven't used force so far," the Godda DC said.