Congress leader Rahul Gandhi strongly condemned the arrest of Independent Bihar MP Rajesh Ranjan, popularly known as Pappu Yadav, calling it an act of “political vendetta.”
Yadav, who represents Purnea constituency, was arrested by Patna Police late Friday at his residence in connection with a land dispute case dating back to 1995. Rahul alleged that the arrest was a tactic to intimidate and silence voices demanding accountability, specifically pointing out that Yadav had been advocating for justice in the mysterious death of a female NEET aspirant in Patna.
“The suspicious death of an aspirant student for NEET in Patna under mysterious circumstances, and the entire sequence of actions that followed, have once again exposed the deep rot in the system,” Rahul wrote on X. He accused the BJP-NDA of trying to derail the investigation, harassing the victim's family, and using state power to shield the culprits.
“Standing firmly as the voice for justice for this daughter was fellow MP Pappu Yadav ji. His arrest today is clearly an act of political vendetta, aimed at intimidating and silencing every voice that demands accountability,” he said.
The Congress MP also pointed to a troubling pattern where young girls continue to fall victim to violence while those in power remain indifferent to these “horrifying realities.”
“This is not politics; it is a question of justice. It is a question of the honor and safety of Bihar's daughters,” Rahul emphasized.
पटना में NEET की आकांक्षी छात्रा की संदिग्ध परिस्थितियों में हुई मौत और उसके बाद की पूरी कार्रवाई ने एक बार फिर सिस्टम की गहरी सड़ांध को उजागर कर दिया है।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 7, 2026
पीड़ित परिवार ने जब निष्पक्ष जाँच और न्याय की माँग की, तो वही पुराना भाजपा-NDA मॉडल सामने आ गया - केस को भटकाओ, परिजनों को…
The NEET aspirant, who had been preparing for the medical entrance exam, was found unconscious in her hostel room in Chitragupt Nagar, Patna, earlier in January. After remaining in a coma for several days, she passed away on January 11 at a private hospital.
Her parents have alleged sexual assault and a subsequent cover-up, prompting the Bihar government to recommend a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the case.
Meanwhile, high drama unfolded at Yadav's house in Mandiri locality when a police team arrived to execute a warrant issued by an MP/MLA court in the land dispute case. Initially, Yadav refused to accompany the police, claiming they had a warrant for property attachment, not for his arrest. However, he was later taken into custody and will be presented before a competent court on Saturday.
