A day after her son Rocky Yadav and husband Bindi Yadav were arrested and sent to judicial custody for two weeks, suspended Janata Dal (United) MLC Manorama Devi has gone into hiding after an arrest warrant was issued against her under the new state Excise law’2016.
On Wednesday morning, the house of Manorama Devi was sealed by officials of the Excise Department and police.
The Gaya Police seized six bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) from her residence during a raid to nab the >absconding Rocky Yadav on Monday night.
Rocky Yadav is accused of killing teenager Aditya Sachdeva. He was arrested on Tuesday morning from his father’s farm in Bodh Gaya.
The JD(U) on Tuesday night suspended Manorama Devi from the party for possessing liquor bottles at her residence. According to new state Excise Law’ 2016, keeping liquor at one’s residence is illegal and the owner of the house could face jail up to 10 years for violating the law.
“Recovery of liquor bottles from the MLC’s residence is proof enough for legal action as per the new State excise law”, said K.K. Pathak, principal secretary of the Excise and Prohibition Department.
Mr. Pathak also said that the MLC would be arrested for violating the law.
“I’ve asked the district administration to include the name of the MLC in the old FIR or lodge a fresh one against her…when liquor has been recovered from her residence how can she not be arrested” he asked.
The department had lodged two FIRs against the Congress MLA from Narkatiyaganj, Vinay Verma, after he was shown offering liquor to a guest in a sting video. Though no liquor bottle was recovered from his residence a case was lodged against him. The MLA is out on anticipatory bail.
Meanwhile, the JD(U) has said that there is a “rule of law” prevailing in the Nitish Kumar government and anybody who violated it would face the consequences.
“The party took quick action against MLC Manorama Devi after liquor bottles were recovered from her residence and suspended her from the party… this is called rule of law, which is prevailing in Nitish Kumar’s regime”, JD(U) spokesperson and party MLC Neeraj Kumar told The Hindu .
Earlier, senior State BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi had dared the Nitish government to take action against MLC Manorama Devi.
