Supreme Court sends notice to Lalu Yadav son over photo

In a setback to Rastriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Yadav, the Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to his eldest son and Bihar health minister Tej Pratap Yadav asking him “how a shooter wanted in the murder of a journalist was seen with him in a photograph”.

While Tej Pratap has a fortnight to submit his reply to the apex court, sources said that the RJD chief has started consulting senior lawyers about the issue.

Rubbishing allegations of having close links with Mohammad Kaif and calling it a conspiracy by the BJP, health minister Tej Pratap Yadav said, “It’s not written on anybody’s forehead that they are gangster or shooter. I meet so many people every day, but I can’t verify their identity.” “I respect judiciary, but notices should have also been issued against BJP leaders whose photograph with the same accused had appeared,” he added.

Similar reaction came from other RJD workers who wanted action against BJP leaders whose photograph with Mohammad Kaif had gone viral last week. “Photographs of Mohammad Kaif had appeared with leaders like Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, but nobody talks about it,” they said.

Dismissing allegations made by Tej Pratap Yadav about BJP leaders appearing in the photograph with alleged shooter Mohammad Kaif, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said, “Question was raised because of Kaif’s closeness with Mohammad Shahbuddin, who is also a national executive member of the RJD. Tej Pratap can’t ignore the fact by raising such questions.”

The notice was issued to Bihar health minister Tej Pratap Yadav and Mohammad Shahbuddin during the hearing of a petition filed by slain journalist Rajdeo Ranjan’s wife, Asha Devi.

In her petition she had requested the court to shift the case from Siwan, citing danger to her family’s life after the photograph of Kaif with Shahbuddin and Lalu Yadav’s son Tej Pratap had surfaced.

Mohammad Kaif, accused in the murder case of Rajdeo Ranjan, had surrendered before Siwan court last week.