Bihar MP Pappu Yadav arrested in 1995 forgery case after late-night police action

Bihar MP Rajesh Ranjan, popularly known as Pappu Yadav , was arrested late Friday night from his Patna residence in connection with a 1995 forgery and property dispute case , setting off tense scenes outside his home and triggering sharp political reactions across the state.

The case dates back more than three decades and originates from an FIR registered at the Gardanibagh police station. The complainant had alleged that Yadav and his associates fraudulently took a house on rent by concealing that it would be used as a Member of Parliament’s office , and later used the property for official and political activities without proper disclosure. Based on these allegations, police invoked charges related to cheating, forgery of documents, criminal trespass and criminal conspiracy . The matter has remained pending before a special MP/MLA court for years.

According to officials, the court had repeatedly summoned Yadav to appear in the case. After he allegedly failed to attend multiple hearings, the court first ordered the attachment of his properties and later issued a non-bailable arrest warrant , directing police to produce him before the court.

Acting on the warrant, a police team reached Yadav’s Mandiri residence shortly after he returned from the Parliament session in New Delhi. The late-night operation quickly turned dramatic as supporters gathered outside the house and argued with officers. Yadav initially resisted, questioning the warrant and stating that he was prepared to appear before the court voluntarily the next day. After a brief confrontation, he was taken into custody and later shifted to a government hospital for routine medical checks.

Before his arrest, Yadav termed the move politically motivated , alleging that he was being targeted for frequently criticising the Bihar government. In recent weeks, he had spoken out strongly on the death of a young NEET aspirant in Patna, where the student was found dead under suspicious circumstances in a private hostel, raising questions about safety, harassment and lack of oversight for girl students, along with broader concerns about women’s security and administrative lapses. “Whenever I question the government, old cases are brought back,” he told reporters.

The arrest has sparked a political storm, with opposition leaders calling it an attempt to silence a vocal critic, while the state administration maintained that the action was purely legal and based on court orders.

On Saturday, a local court sent the Purnea MP to judicial custody , and his bail plea is expected to be heard soon . The development has once again placed the spotlight on the intersection of long-pending legal battles and Bihar’s charged political landscape.