Gaya, May 09: A Gaya court has recommended a CBI inquiry into the alleged custodial kidnapping of a Patna-based businessman Atul Prakash in which the sacked Bihar minister of state for excise Surendra Yadav and RJD MLC Azad Gandhi, besides some policemen are accused. The district and sessions judge, Jawahar Lal Chaudhary in his order today, observed that the Bihar Police may not be in a position to conduct a fair probe in view of the involvement of powerful politicians of the state, therefore the case be referred to CBI.

Chaudhary had yesterday rejected anticipatory bail petitions of Yadav and Azad Gandhi named as accused in the alleged kidnapping and torture of a businessman here. The court had also dismissed the regular bail petitions of three policemen - sub-inspector Ramakant Ram and constables Mahendra Singh and Neyaz Khan - who were also accused in the case and are presently lodged in the Central Jail here.

The court of Gaya Additional District Judge R K Singh had issued arrest warrants against Surendra Yadav, Gandhi and Pappu Yadav, brother-in-law of Subhas Yadav, MLC who is also the brother of Chief Minister Rabri Devi, at the request of Rampur police, where an fir was lodged against them in connection with the kidnapping and torture of the businessman last month. The three policemen posted at Kotwali Police Station at Patna, who accompanied the businessman Atul Prakash while being brought from Gujarat, were arrested at the instruction of the then Gaya SP Ravindran Shankaran on the charge of colluding with the sacked minister and others.

The former minister and other accused have been absconding since then.

Bureau Report