Police have rescued Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Sunil Rai from his abductors within 24 hours of his kidnapping and arrested two suspects in connection with his abduction.

A senior official of the Bihar Police said that Rai, who was abducted in Chhapra district of Bihar on Tuesday, has been rescued and the vehicle used in the RJD leader’s kidnapping has also been seized, adding that two people have been arrested in this regard.

The official said that a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered and other person involved in Rai’s abduction would be behind bars soon, adding that further investigation is underway.

On Tuesday, RJD leader Sunil Rai was abducted from his office in Bihar’s Chhapra in the wee hours of Tuesday.

An official statement issued by the Saran Police had said that a group of unidentified assailants abducted the 42-year-old Rai from outside his office near the market committee under Muffasil police station limits around 4:30 am on Tuesday.

They had said a special investigation team (SIT) was constituted to nab the abductors and rescue the politician.

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The entire ordeal of Sunil Rai’s kidnapping which was caught on security camera footage shows the kidnappers, at least six in number, lying in wait outside Rai’s office in a white Scorpio SUV. As soon as Rai steps outside, the assailants grab hold of the politician and after a brief struggle by Rai, drag him into their vehicle and escape the scene. The victim’s mobile phone was recovered a short distance away from the scene.

Watch the video here:

The RJD leader’s father said his son had received a phone call and went to the party office on early Tuesday, while denying all claims of any personal enmity being the cause of his son’s kidnapping.

Police said that the motive behind Rai’s kidnapping is still being investigated as there was no ransom demand. Notably, Rai had rebelled against the RJD and contested as an independent candidate. Reportedly, he’s also associated with the land business.

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‘Thenga mila hai’, said Bihar deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Monday, as he scoffed at the Enforcement Directorate’s claim of seizing Rs 600 crore during last week’s raids at the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader’s and his sisters’ residential homes in Delhi.

Tejashwi Yadav rubbished the ED’s claims and claimed that all the probe agency officials found at his Delhi home was a “nod from above.” The RJD leader was speaking to reporters upon returning from celebrating Holi with his father Lalu Prasad Yadav who recently had a kidney transplant surgery.

Repudiating the ED’s claim, Yadav said ‘Thenga mila hai’ (they found zilch), during raids conducted at his Delhi home in connection with the purported land for jobs scam.

The Bihar deputy CM alleged that his sisters and their in-laws were forced to take off jewelry they were wearing and these were photographed and shown as “recovery” by ED officials, adding that his sisters are not involved in politics and got married after Lalu Prasad’s tenure as Railway Minister had ended.

Yadav accused the ruling BJP of targeting his family by “misusing” central agencies against them.

Yadav said the “witch hunt” started in 2017 when “these agencies spoke of Rs 8,000 crore”. The RJD leader was referring to the land for hotels scam, adding “nothing came of that case.

He said that after they were back in power and proved majority in assembly, raids were conducted on RJD leaders on the same day.

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Recalling last week ED raid, Yadav said the search at his Delhi home was over in 30 minutes. He said his wife Rajshree Yadav—who is pregnant with the couple’s first child— offered tea to the ED officials who on being asked, said they can only leave after they get a call from above.

Yadav alleged that the raid was “clearly intended” to carry out a propaganda against him.

Last week, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at Delhi homes of Tejashwi Yadav and his sisters in connection with the alleged land for jobs scam, in which the CBI has named their parents and former Bihar chief ministers, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi as prime accused.

The CBI chargesheet has named Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and 14 others in the purported case which allegedly involves people being given employment in the railways in exchange for land parcels parcels gifted or sold at cheap rates to the Yadav family and its associates.

The accused have been charged of criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and have been summoned on March 15. The ED, which probes financial crimes, has filed its case stemming from the same CBI complaint, under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

On March 7, Lalu Yadav, a former railway minister was questioned by the CBI, day after his wife and former Bihar CM Rabri Devi was grilled by the probe agency in the same case.

The CBI case, which names the Yadav couple and their daughters Misa and Hema, among others, is based on allegations that Yadav and his family members bought land at a discount in exchange for jobs while he served as Union Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009.

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A seven-year-old girl was allegedly raped by an inebriated man while her friend (9) was injured, as she managed to escape a rape attempt the accomplice of the accused on Holi, Wednesday, in Bihar’s Begusarai.

According to reports, the two girls, aged 7 and 9, who belong to same village, were on their way back from a local market on Holi during afternoon hours. The girls stopped at a local government school in Panchdir Chowk on their way back home to enjoy a swing ride where they were approached by the two men, who tried to coax the minors to come with them. The men were reportedly drunk.

Liquor is banned in Bihar.

The girls, fearing their motives, refused and one child hid tried hiding in the school toilet where one of the accused, identified as Sohan Kumar alias Chhotu Mahto, allegedly raped her. The victim’s friend managed to resist the rape bid by the second accused, Bablu Kumar, and ran away to a nearby street where she informed people about the incident.

The girl sustained injuries while escaping the rape bid.

Reports said that locals soon rushed to the spot and rescued the rape victim who had been thrown into the bushes by the accused after the horrendous act.

The girls, as per reports, have been admitted to the Sadar Hospital for treatment where their condition is stated to be critical.

Tension gripped the area after the news of the incident surfaced as the victims and the accused belonged to different communities.

A senior official said that a case under the POSCO act has been registered and both accused have been arrested.

He said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Bihar Police nabbed Chhotu Mahato from a field on Wednesday evening while Bablu Kumar was arrested on Thursday, adding that further investigation is ongoing.

One of the accused is reportedly a former sarpanch.