'Let an investigation be conducted': Tej Pratap Yadav seeks probe into Rabri Devi's residence, says life under threat

Janshakti Janata Dal president Tej Pratap Yadav on Saturday called for an investigation into claims of a basement at former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi’s newly allotted Patna residence while simultaneously seeking security, claiming his life is under threat.

The developments come amid heightened political tensions in Bihar, with opposition leaders questioning recent administrative decisions and Tej Pratap alleging threats following disciplinary action taken by his party against a former office-bearer.

Addressing reporters, Tej Pratap Yadav demanded an inquiry into allegations that a basement exists at Rabri Devi’s official residence on Harding Road in Patna, asserting that facts should be established through investigation.

The case of a basement and an allegation

“Let an investigation be conducted. (At Rabri Devi's residence) Whether there is a basement or not will come to light. When we were there, there was no basement. Whether there is a basement or not is a matter for investigation,” he told ANI.

On November 25, the Bihar Building Construction Department allotted House No. 39 on Harding Road to Rabri Devi in her capacity as Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Council. Until the allotment, she had been residing at 10 Circular Road for nearly 20 years.

The shift triggered sharp political reactions, particularly from Rashtriya Janata Dal leaders. RJD’s Shakti Singh Yadav questioned the rationale behind changing the residence of a former Chief Minister and sitting Leader of the Opposition, alleging growing influence of the Bharatiya Janata Party within the state government.

“Those holding the reins of power appear nominal, while those holding portfolios are considered experienced. Even then, such a decision is surprising,” he said.

Rabri Devi served as Bihar’s Chief Minister from 1997 to 2005, becoming the state’s first woman Chief Minister after Lalu Prasad Yadav stepped down following an arrest warrant in the fodder scam case. She has been the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council since 2018.

‘I am in danger’: JJD chief seeks security, files FIR

Even as the residence controversy unfolded, Tej Pratap Yadav raised serious personal security concerns, writing to Bihar Home Minister Samrat Chaudhary and filing an FIR at the Sachivalaya police station in Patna.

“I am in danger, that's why I have demanded security. I have written a letter to Bihar's Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and have filed an FIR at the Sachivalaya police station,” he told reporters.

In his letter, Tej Pratap accused Santosh Renu Yadav, a former national spokesperson of the Janshakti Janata Dal, of threatening to kill him after being expelled from the party.

“We want to inform you that Santosh Renu Yadav, father of Namashish Yadav, is a resident of Vairam Chak, Yana-Masandi. We had appointed Santosh Renu Yadav as the national spokesperson of our party, Janshakti Janata Dal.

But after joining the party, Santosh Renu Yadav, while working from his residence at 28 M Strand Road, was continuously doing things contrary to the ideology of the party, such as taking money from people in the name of getting work done (thousands of rupees were taken online from Mantu Gop, a resident of Motihari district, in the name of getting work done). Similarly, by scaring and threatening many people, this person has committed the heinous act of extorting money from people in an illegal manner,” the letter read.

He added that despite attempts to resolve the matter internally, disciplinary action became unavoidable.

“When the matter was brought to my attention, I tried my best to reason with Santosh Renu Yadav, but he only lied to us. Consequently, the party's Central Disciplinary Committee expelled Santosh Renu Yadav from the party on Sunday, December 14, 2025 (Expulsion Letter No. 37/JJD/2025),” the letter said.

Tej Pratap further alleged that the former party spokesperson has been issuing repeated threats on social media platforms.

“But ever since Santosh Renu Yadav was suspended from the party, he has been continuously using offensive language and issuing death threats against me through live videos on social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube. This is not appropriate under any circumstances,” the letter read.

(With inputs from ANI)