Bihar Police on Sunday searched the residence of MLA Amit Kumar, also known as Amit Singh Ranu, in connection with a case registered over alleged demolition of construction on a piece of land in Muzaffarpur, after investigators said they found evidence of the legislator’s alleged involvement in the case.

Police say the matter appears to be a case of land grab and seems connected with “protection gangs” – in which miscreants take money from people and harass those who don’t comply.

Muzaffarpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kantesh Kumar Mishra said the search was conducted after the police obtained a warrant from a court against the LJP (RV) MLA from Belsand in Samastipur, and his brother Sonu Singh alias Abhinav.

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According to police, a case was registered on August 20 under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to a coordinated criminal conspiracy involving property grabbing, financial fraud, document forgery, theft, deliberate property damage, and extortion through severe threats of violence or death, on the complaint of Prahlad Kumar against one Sumit Srivastava and more than 50 unidentified persons.

Kumar, in his FIR, alleged that a group arrived with a bulldozer, a Scorpio and a Mahindra Thar, and demolished construction on his land and nearby properties in the Ahiyapur area. He further alleged that when he “tried to record the incident, his mobile phone was broken”, he was assaulted and his gold chain was snatched.

‘Threatened to bury in a pit’

The complaint also alleged that the occupants were threatened with being “buried in a pit dug by the bulldozer if they did not leave the land”, and that they would have to pay money to “Boss” if they wanted to stay there. The complainant mentioned one Sonu Singh being identified as the “Boss” by the assailants. Police claimed Singh is the brother of the Belsand MLA.

“Based on the complaint, two accused, Srivastava and his aide Sunny Singh, were arrested. Subsequently, 12 others submitted complaints,” SSP Mishra said.

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Police said Sonu Singh had been named in the investigation and that the MLA’s role was also found to be suspicious.

“We have found evidence relating to the MLA’s alleged involvement in the case,” SSP Mishra said, adding that during the search of his residence, police recovered, among other things, a signed blank stamp paper dated 2017, which, the officer said, constitutes “a case of forgery”.

“We will also take appropriate legal action in that matter,” SSP Mishra said, adding that the MLA’s brother was found to be absconding and would be arrested soon.

The IPS officer indicated that police were examining whether the case was linked to an organised group allegedly involved in land-related activities. “I want to issue a strict warning to land mafia: Under no circumstances, any negligence involving them will be tolerated. Everyone will face due action under the law,” said the SSP.

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He said the case appeared to be connected in some way with what had previously been revealed on different occasions as a “protection gang”. He said the “entire gang will be exposed”.

Police were also verifying video footage to identify other suspects.

Minister denies involvement

Meanwhile, the NDA MLA rejected the police allegations and said, “The search demonstrated the failure of the police”. He claimed the investigators found no incriminating material at his Bairiya residence and alleged that the land at the centre of the dispute did not even belong to him or his family.

Ranu alleged that officers had come looking for documents concerning property supposedly held in his or his family’s name, but had returned without finding any such papers.

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He alleged that the disputed land belonged to a family member of Srivastava, a member of his party, and that the latter had approached the police repeatedly with documents, claiming that others were carrying out illegal construction on the property.

“Police had, instead, registered a case against him (Srivastava) and arrested him,” said the MLA.

The SSP, meanwhile, said the investigation was underway and that police would identify and take action against all persons found involved.

Earlier on Sunday, the SSP inspected the site of the alleged incident, met the affected persons and took details of their complaints. He also directed police officials to strengthen security arrangements and maintain law and order in the area.