Suspended party MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav will surrender in court on Feb 18: RJD

Nawada: Suspended RJD MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav, who is evading arrest in an alleged rape case, will surrender before the Nalanda court on February 18, a party legislator said on Tuesday.

"Raj Ballabh will surrender before Nalanda civil court on February 18 (Thursday) in an alleged rape case in which he has been falsely implicated," District RJD president Mahendra Yadav and Rajauli MLA Prakash Vir told reporters here at a press conference.

Vir said he has got information from family members that Yadav would surrender in the court on Thursday as the police has been conducting raids at his residences.

Yadav was neither named in the FIR, nor in the statement made by the victim. Yadav has full faith in the judiciary and that's why he would surrender before the court to come clean, he claimed.

A local court on Monday issued arrest warrants against suspended RJD MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav and three others in connection with the rape case involving a minor.

It also issued a warrant to conduct searches at the Legislator's residence in Nawada.

Earlier, Deputy Inspector General of Police Shalin had on February 13 issued an arrest order following a complaint against the MLA by the 15-year-old girl from Nalanda who had alleged that Yadav raped her on February 6 at his residence.

Armed with a search warrant from Nalanda court, police teams led by Nawada Deputy SP Sanjay Pandey and Nalanda Deputy SP Sharful Rahman today arrived at Raj Ballabh's residence at Pathra village under Mufassil police station of Nawada district to collect forensic evidence.

It may be noted that a team from the Women's Police Station, Nalanda had gone to collect bed sheet and clothes for forensic test on February 14, but Yadav's supporters prevented them from entering the fugitive MLA's residence and demanded the presence of a Magistrate to collect the evidence.

RJD took serious note of Yadav's alleged involvement in the rape case and suspended him from party on Sunday last. The party also served a show-cause notice to the MLA.

Yadav won from Nawada seat in the recent Assembly elections and had earlier served as a minister in the RJD government.