Bihar minister's husband booked for extortion

A case has been lodged against the husband of a Bihar minister for allegedly trying to extort money from government officials and threatening to shoot them if not paid, police said Friday.

Backward and Extremely Backward Class Welfare Minister Beema Bharti's husband Awadhesh Mandal had allegedly demanded Rs. 5000 per month from each of the officials of the Bhawanipur circle office in Purnea district two days ago, a district police official said.

Mandal, a notorious gangster, had also threatened officials that if they failed to pay him, he will shoot them and even unleash his dog on them.

Circle officer Anil Kumar has lodged a case in police station against Mandal and informed the district superintendent of police Ajit Kumar Satyarthi and sought security.

According to complaint to police, Mandal along with his armed gang, assaulted two officials to create terror and panic among officials.

Mandal denied that he demanded extortion money and threatened officials.

"The officials have been framing me in a false case," he said.

His wife Bharti also refuted the charges against him. Bharti is ruling JD-U legislator from Rupauli in Purnia.

Satyarthi said that police are probing the matter.