Heavyweight Independent MP from Bihar Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav on Monday demanded Z-category security cover for an alleged death threat from jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. After the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique in Mumbai, Mr. Yadav had called the Bishnoi gang as a “gang of thugs and insignificant criminals”.
In his letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Mr. Yadav said that he has been a five-time MP and one-time legislator from Bihar. He has apparently received death threats from the Bishnoi gang and urged Mr. Shah to provide Z-cover security for him. Mr. Yadav also called Bihar’s Director General of Police (DGP) and sent a recording of a threat to kill him by member of the gang and requested him to enhance his security cover.
Mr. Yadav said he received a call from an unknown caller on his mobile phone who said that Lawrence Bishnoi was keeping a close watch on his activities and asked him (Mr. Yadav) to “stay away from Salman Khan case”. “Lawrence Bishnoi who is currently lodged in Sabarmati jail in Gujarat was trying to contact you but could not connect due to jammers installed inside jail. The gang of Bishnoi has been surveying locations and intend to kill you,” Mr. Yadav said while quoting the anonymous caller. However, investigations later, revealed that the call was made from a United Arab Emirates (UAE) number. “I hope the Union Home Minister and State DGP would look into my request to enhance my security cover,” Mr Yadav added.
Following former NCP MLA Baba Siddique’s murder in Mumbai allegedly by gang members of Lawrence Bishnoi, Mr. Yadav had called the Bishnoi gang as a “gang of thugs and insignificant criminals”. “If law permits me, I’ll dismantle the entire network of this do kaudi ka (of two-pence) criminal like Lawrence Bishnoi within 24 hours”, said Mr. Yadav. He also went to Mumbai to meet family members of Siddique to express his solidarity with them and expressed his desire to meet Salman Khan but could not because of his “busy schedule”.
Mr. Yadav, whose wife Ranjit Ranjan is a former Congress MP and party leader, has been astrongman of Kosi area in northeast Bihar and has been several times MP from Madhepura. His name had figured in the murder of former Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA Ajit Sarkar in June 1998. Mr. Sarkar was gunned down with over hundred gunshots along with his driver and a party worker. However, Mr. Yadav was, later, let off in the case by Patna High Court for lack of evidence against him.
Meanwhile, a senior police official at the police headquarters told The Hindu that they would look into the mater of Mr .Yadav if a “formal complaint is lodged with the police”. Mr Yadav, said the police official, has been asked to lodge his complaint with the Purnia range Inspector General of Police.
Published - October 28, 2024 11:51 pm IST
