NEW DELHI, 31 May 2003 — A former Bihar minister facing charges of abduction surrendered in Gaya yesterday. Surendra Yadav, who was the minister of state for excise in the Rabri Devi government, was remanded in judicial custody. He was wanted in connection with the abduction of businessman Atul Prakash and illegal confinement of policemen.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Ravindra Prasad Thakur, in whose court Yadav surrendered, rejected his bail petition and remanded him to 14 days’ judicial custody.
Prakash reportedly fled to Anand in Gujarat in the first week of April after cheating some politicians of the ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal party in Bihar.
In a bid to get back his money, Azad Gandhi, an RJD legislator, who was accompanying the police team returning from Gujarat after arresting Prakash, persuaded the policemen to alight from a Patna-bound train at Gaya and took Prakash to the residence of Yadav. There he was tortured for three consecutive days.
Police sub-inspector Ramakant Ram, who is now in prison for his alleged involvement in Prakash’s kidnapping and illegal confinement, narrated the whole episode to Gaya Police Superintendent Ravindra Shanakaran on April 8.
Following this, a report was lodged against Yadav, Azad Gandhi and Pappu Yadav.
