BJP disrupts Bihar assembly over JD-U MLA's arrest

The opposition BJP disrupted proceedings in the Bihar assembly on Monday demanding the arrest of ruling Janata Dal-United's suspended legislator Mewalal Choudhary for alleged irregularities in the appointment of staff members in the Bihar Agriculture University.

Choudhary has been accused of "gross irregularities" in the appointment of 162 staff members when he was Vice Chancellor of the Bihar Agriculture University (BAU) in Bhagalpur.

Soon after the day's assembly session began, angry Bharatiya Janata Party legislators raised the issue during Question Hour shouting slogans.

Choudhary has not been arrested despite evidence against him, BJP legislator Arun Kumar Sinha said.

Opposition leader Prem Kumar also demanded the JD-U MLA's arrest, who is the main accused in the irregular appointment of assistant professors and junior scientists.

Kumar said: "It clearly exposes the intention of the Nitish Kumar-led government."

Earlier the JD-U had suspended Choudhary for six years from the Tarapur assembly seat after his name surfaced in the BAU staff appointment scam at Sabour in 2012.

The police is set to issue a red corner notice against Choudhary.

Last week, the district court in Bhagalpur rejected his anticipatory bail petition.

Choudhary was Vice Chancellor of the BAU till 2015 before he contested the assembly polls from Tarapur in Munger district.

According to police officials, a probe panel formed by the university found that many appointments during his tenure were made by ignoring the candidates' performance in written test and academic records.

Those selected were given high marks by the screening committee in interview and PowerPoint presentation (PPT), sources said, adding that even PhD degree-holders and NET-qualified candidates were ignored.

--IANS

ik/in/dg