Lalu-Akhilesh relative arrested in land grabbing case

Mohit Yadav, a relative of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and also connected with RJD chief Lalu Prasad, was on Saturday arrested with eight other people in a land grabbing case, police said.

Mohit Yadav is the cousin of Jitendra Yadav, whose son is married to Lalu Prasad's daughter. He is also a close relative of the family of Akhilesh Yadav.

Police said the nine accused equipped with two bulldozers attempted to grab a plot of land in Budh Vihar in Ghaziabad.

On Saturday, they razed five houses constructed there, following which residents informed police.

"To show physical possession in the court, they razed five fully constructed houses. First, they showed the plot as disputed by filing a case, and then tried to grab the land," said Superintendent of Police (City) Salman Taj Patil.

Two cases have been registered against them -- one by an independent complainant, Meera, a resident of the area and the other by police themselves for obstructing police officers from performing their duty.

Police from Vijay Nagar arrested nine people from the spot and seized two bulldozers.

The other eight were identified as Prathvi Singh, Jitendra, Gopal, Gajendra, Vikas, Rajiv, Sandeep and Vicky.

They have been booked on charges of rioting, being armed with deadly weapon, unlawful assembly, attempt to murder, dacoity, and criminal trespass under the Indian Penal Code.

Police said they would also be booked under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act.

A police officer of that area, Ravinder Yadav, has been suspended, said Patil.