Bihar assembly sees noisy scenes over theft at BJP MP's home

The Bihar assembly saw noisy scenes inside and outside Wednesday after ruling JD-U and RJD legislators created a ruckus demanding arrest of BJP MP Giriraj Singh over "huge amount of unaccounted cash" being stolen from his house and then being recovered.

The Janata Dal-United and Rashtriya Janata Dal legislators demanded termination of parliament membership of Giriraj Singh for possessing alleged black money. They were supported by Congress legislators.

The JD-U and RJD members first staged a protest outside the state assembly over recovery of over Rs.1.14 crore and $600 in cash and jewellery from Singh's house and later disrupted the proceedings of the assembly and demanded his arrest.

The house was adjourned five times over the issue.

Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said the state government has taken cognizance of Singh's issue and would act according to law.

"The police and Income Tax officials are already probing the source of the wealth recovered. If needed, other forms of inquiry could be ordered," he said.

Former chief minister and senior JD-U leader Nitish Kumar said it was a serious matter as huge cash and US currency were recovered. "Singh should explain about huge cash amount. It raises question about source of amount," he said.

Another former chief minister and RJD leader, Rabri Devi said the state government should inquire into it and take action in this case.

"This amount seems to have been accumulated by Singh as minister of animal husbandry during the NDA rule," she alleged.

"Singh should be arrested for hiding such a huge amount of unaccounted cash in his house, which was stolen and now recovered by police. It again exposed the BJP's real face," JD-U legislator Manjit Kumar Singh said.

RJD legislator Bhai Dinesh questioned the source of such a large amount of cash that was stolen from Singh's house. "If the huge cash amount is white (legal), then why did Singh in his complaint to police say only Rs.50,000 was stolen from his house," he asked.

Giriraj Singh has been elected to the Lok Sabha from Nawada seat in Bihar and is known for his controversial remarks.

During the Lok Sabha poll campaign, he said those opposing Narendra Modi, who was then the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, should be dispatched to Pakistan.

He is already under the scrutiny of police and Income Tax officials after the huge amount of cash, including dollars, and gold and silver jewellery reported stolen from his house here were later recovered by police.

Singh has reportedly said cash and jewellery belonged to his cousin.

Patna police arrested four people Tuesday and announced they have solved the theft case.

In his election affidavit in May this year, Singh said he owns only about Rs.2 lakh in cash.