Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav named in FIR in murder of expelled RJD leader who accused them of cash for ticket

PURNEA: An FIR was registered against RJD leaders Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav and four others in connection with the murder of an expelled party leader Shakti Malik (37) in Purnea district of poll-bound Bihar on Sunday (October 4). 

After the killing, a video in which Malik accused Tejashwi Prasad Yadav of seeking Rs 50 lakh as donation to give him party ticket to contest the poll from Raniganj seat and threatening to eliminate him if he continues with his good work in the constituency, went viral.

Superintendent of Police of Purnea Vishal Sharma told PTI that an FIR lodged against six persons including RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and his brother Tej Pratap Yadav in connection with the murder.

According to reports, on Sunday, three bike-borne men entered Shakti Malik's house in Purnea and shot him in the head killing him on the spot. Following the incident, his wife alleged that it was a political killing as her husband was preparing to contest Assembly election as an independent candidate after he was expelled from the RJD.

The ruling JD(U) claimed that Tejashwi Prasad Yadav has exposed his true colours before the nation. Repeated efforts to reach senior RJD leaders for their reaction were unsuccessful.

A country-made pistol and an empty cartridge were found from the spot, K Haat police station Station House Officer Sunil Kumar Mandal said.

In the video that went viral, Malik claimed that he, along with the RJD's SC/ST cell state unit president, met Tejashwi Prasad Yadav in Patna where the RJD leader sought Rs 50 lakh as donation to give him party ticket to contest Raniganj assembly constituency.
According to the video, when Malik said that he would let him know of his decision later, Tejashwi made a casteist remark against him and threatened to eliminate him.

On October 3, Tejashwi was backed as the face of the multi-party coalition and unanimously chosen as the Chief Ministerial candidate of the opposition alliance in Bihar Assembly Election 2020.