Properties bulldozed over ‘protection money’? Police search NDA MLA Amit Kumar Ranu’s home in Muzaffarpur

Properties bulldozed over 'protection funds'? Police search NDA MLA Amit Kumar Ranu's home in Muzaffarpur Police remarked the LJP(RV) legislator's role was identified to be suspicious in the case.

Key points

• The complainant mentioned one Sonu Singh being identified as the "Boss" by the assailants.
• Based on the complaint, two accused, Srivastava and his aide Sunny Singh, were arrested.
• Police remarked Sonu Singh had been named in the investigation and that the MLA's role was additionally discovered to be suspicious.
• The NDA MLA rejected the police allegations and remarked, "The search demonstrated the failure of the police".
• "Police had, instead, registered a case against him (Srivastava) and arrested him, " remarked the MLA.

After investigators stated they discovered evidence of the legislator's alleged involvement in the case, bihar Police on Sunday searched the residence of MLA Amit Kumar, additionally known as Amit Singh Ranu, in connection with a case registered over alleged demolition of construction on a piece of land in Muzaffarpur.

Police say the matter appears to be a case of land grab and seems connected with "protection gangs" – in which miscreants take funds from residents and harass those who don't comply.

Muzaffarpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kantesh Kumar Mishra remarked the search was conducted after the police obtained a warrant from a court against the LJP (RV) MLA from Belsand in Samastipur, and his brother Sonu Singh alias Abhinav.

According to police, a case was registered on August 20 under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to a coordinated criminal conspiracy involving property grabbing, financial fraud, document forgery, theft, deliberate property damage, and extortion through severe threats of violence or death, on the complaint of Prahlad Kumar against one Sumit Srivastava and more than 50 unidentified persons.

Kumar, in his FIR, alleged that a group arrived with a bulldozer, a Scorpio and a Mahindra Thar, and demolished construction on his land and nearby properties in the Ahiyapur area. He further alleged that when he "tried to record the incident, his mobile phone was broken", he was assaulted and his gold chain was snatched. 'Threatened to bury in a pit'.

Notably, the complaint additionally alleged that the occupants were threatened with being "buried in a pit dug by the bulldozer if they did not leave the land", and that they would have to pay capital to "Boss" if they wanted to stay there. The complainant mentioned one Sonu Singh being identified as the "Boss" by the assailants. Police asserted Singh is the brother of the Belsand MLA.

"Based on the complaint, two accused, Srivastava and his aide Sunny Singh, were arrested. Subsequently, 12 others submitted complaints, " SSP Mishra remarked.

"We have found evidence relating to the MLA's alleged involvement in the case, " SSP Mishra remarked, adding that during the search of his residence, police recovered, among other things, a signed blank stamp paper dated 2017, which, the officer stated, constitutes "a case of forgery".

"We will also take appropriate legal action in that matter, " SSP Mishra remarked, adding that the MLA's brother was identified to be absconding and would be arrested shortly.

In practice, the IPS officer indicated that police were examining whether the case was linked to an organised group allegedly involved in land-related activities. "I want to matter a strict warning to land mafia: Under no circumstances, any negligence involving them will be tolerated. Everyone will face due action under the law, " remarked the SSP.

He remarked the case appeared to be connected in some way with what had previously been disclosed on different occasions as a "protection gang". He remarked the "entire gang will be exposed". Police were additionally verifying video footage to identify other suspects.

Meanwhile, the NDA MLA rejected the police allegations and remarked, "The search demonstrated the failure of the police". He asserted the investigators identified no incriminating material at his Bairiya residence and alleged that the land at the centre of the dispute did not even belong to him or his family.

Ranu alleged that officers had come looking for documents concerning property supposedly held in his or his family's name, but had returned without finding any such papers.

He alleged that the disputed land belonged to a family member of Srivastava, a member of his party, and that the latter had approached the police repeatedly with documents, claiming that others were carrying out illegal construction on the property.

Meanwhile, the SSP, meanwhile, remarked the investigation was underway and that police would identify and take action against all persons identified involved.

Earlier on Sunday, the SSP inspected the site of the alleged incident, met the affected persons and took details of their complaints. He additionally directed police office-holders to strengthen security arrangements and maintain law and order in the area.

Taken together, the developments around properties bulldozed over 'protection money'? Police search NDA MLA Amit Kumar Ranu's point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.