Janshakti Janata Dal Leader Tej Pratap Yadav Sent to 14‑Day Judicial Custody After NEET Protest in Patna

Patna – The atmosphere in Bihar’s capital turned tense on Saturday when Tej Pratap Yadav, national president of the Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD), was whisked away by police and placed in a 14‑day judicial custody. The arrest came as Yadav stood shoulder‑to‑shoulder with students protesting what they allege is a leak of the NEET‑UG examination paper.

According to Yadav’s counsel, Jagannath Singh, there are “irregularities” in the way the arrest was handled. He points out that the FIR was lodged on July 26, yet the police seized his client on the evening of July 25, around 7:30 p.m., from a busy mall in the city centre. “We have not even received a copy of the FIR,” Singh told reporters, adding that the family was unaware of the arrest until the next morning when he arrived at Naubatpur police station.

Singh says he will file a bail application on Monday, hoping the court will release Yadav promptly. Meanwhile, the JJD’s own Bankipur by‑election candidate, Veena Manvi, has slammed the timing of the police move, calling it yet another episode of “torture” that the party has faced since the campaign began. She recalled her own arrest on nomination day and wondered aloud why Yadav was nabbed while he was merely out shopping with his family.

During the brief interrogation, Yadav made it clear that his heart lies with the protesting youth. “The students’ demands are legitimate. I am ready to lay down my life for them,” he declared, echoing the anger that has been simmering across the state.

The arrest took place against a backdrop of widespread unrest. A statewide “Bihar Bandh” called by opposition parties and student groups erupted into clashes in Patna, with stone‑throwing, vandalised police booths and tear‑gas shells being deployed to disperse crowds. Protestors were also demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, accusing him of turning a blind eye to alleged examination irregularities.

In a rapid political turn‑around, Pradhan stepped down, submitting his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and citing the need to prevent “anti‑national forces” from exploiting the situation. The Education Ministry now rests in the hands of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, who was assigned the portfolio after President Droupadi Murmu accepted Pradhan’s resignation.

As the legal drama unfolds, the JJD says it will continue to support the student movement, insisting that any attempt to silence dissent will only deepen the public’s mistrust of the authorities.