RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s estranged brother-in-law and former Gopalganj MP Anirudh Prasad alias Sadhu Yadav was booked for demanding Rs 50 lakh extortion from a Patna builder. The former MP, however, denied the allegations but said he knew the builder.

A FIR was lodged on Wednesday evening at Kotwali police station against Sadhu Yadav, who heads a political party called Garib Janta Dal (secular), based on a complaint by city builder Anil Singh. The builder alleged that Sadhu Yadav, over phone, demanded Rs 50 lakh or a flat in Patna.

Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj told The Indian Express: “We have received a written complaint against Sadhu Yadav and lodged an FIR. Though I have not yet spoken to Yadav, we will investigate the matter and get at the truth.”

The builder also gave the police the mobile number from which he had received the extortion call. Kotwali DSP Shivli Nomani said the builder was named in forgery cases in the past.

A Dwarka (Delhi) contractor Premchnadra, who had approached Sadhu Yadav for “help”, accused Patna builder Anil Singh of “swindling money in name of giving him a flat for which he had paid Rs 76 lakh”. Sadhu Yadav said: “I have only tried help to help the contractor since I knew Anil Singh. The allegations against me are baseless and false”.

Premchandra, who has accused builder Anil Singh of taking money from him and not giving him a flat, said: “Anil Singh has not been getting flat registered under my name even when full payment has been made. Whenever the builder calls me to meet, he is often surrounded by his gunmen. What should I do under the circumstances?”

The builder said: “Sadhu Yadav called me and started hurling abuses at me and said he would not let me live in Bihar if I do not pay the money”.

Sadhu Yadav, however, did not deny calling up the builder. “Only my phone was used to call him. It was Premchandra who had been talking to him. I did not threaten the builder but asked him to sort out the matter amicably”.

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