Ritlal Yadav, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA from Bihar’s Danapur Assembly constituency, surrendered before a court in Danapur on Thursday morning amid an investigation against him regarding allegations of extortion. He was subsequently sent to Beur Jail to spend 14 days in judicial custody.
City Superintendent of Police (West), Patna, Sarath R S said those who surrendered included Ritlal Yadav, his brother Pinku Yadav, brother-in-law Chikku Yadav and associate Shravan Yadav.
Patna police had been searching for Ritlal Yadav (53) and his associates for over a week following a case registered against them under BNS sections 308(5), 111(2), 111(3), 339 and 3(5), dealing with extortion, organised crime, and other related charges.
Regarding the case, Danapur Assistant Superintendent of Police Bhanu Pratap Singh said earlier, “A builder lodged a complaint at Khagaul police station, alleging that Ritlal Yadav and his associates had demanded money and issued death threats in connection with an apartment construction project in Kothwa village.”
On April 11, Patna police carried out raids in collaboration with the Bihar Special Task Force (STF) and other units following the complaint filed by the builder from Khagaul area.
Acting on a court-issued search warrant, police had raided around 11 locations connected to Yadav and his aides. During these raids, authorities seized over Rs 10.5 lakh in cash, blank cheques worth Rs 77.5 lakh, 14 property-related documents, 17 cheque books, five stamps, six pendrives, a walkie-talkie and other items, authorities said.
On Thursday, while being taken from the court, the MLA claimed the case was part of a “conspiracy to eliminate him”.
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“I am not intimidated… I will contest the election, even from jail, with my party’s ticket and the people’s support,” Yadav said. He also claimed that there was a murder plot against him.
According to the FIR, construction company owner Kumar Gaurav has alleged that after starting a construction project in 2023, he was “forced to procure construction materials exclusively from Pinku Yadav, brother of MLA Ritlal Yadav”.
The builder also alleged that the MLA himself had demanded Rs 30 lakh to allow construction work in his constituency. While the complainant claimed that he initially paid Rs 4 lakh, the accused have been threatening him and abusing his workers, forcing them to leave the construction site.
“Ten days before the FIR, Chikku visited the Kothwa site, saying, ‘I have been sent by the MLA… How did you buy land here without the MLA’s permission? You must be aware that those who owned this land before, we have had them killed. Do immediate settlement and arrange Rs 10 lakh,’” the FIR said.
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According to the complaint, the builder purportedly paid Rs 10 lakh the next day to one of the MLA’s men who came with Chikku.
The JD(U) called on the RJD to “rein in” leaders like Ritlal Yadav. The ruling party’s chief spokesperson and MLC Neeraj Kumar said: “It is ludicrous that the person (Ritlal) who would terrorise people in his area and demand levies and cuts in land purchase and house construction, has now alleged that there is threat to his life. RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who tries to make law and order an issue these days, should rein in leaders like Ritlal.”
Ritlal Yadav has 42 criminal cases against him, including on charges of murder, attempted murder, extortion, rioting, and violations under the Arms Act across several police jurisdictions in Patna. He has not been convicted in any of these.
In 2003, Yadav was booked for the murder of BJP leader Satyanarayan Sinha, but was acquitted by the Patna MP and MLA court in 2024. The victim’s widow, former Danapur MLA Asha Sinha, has challenged this acquittal in the Patna High Court, where the case is pending.