BPCL issues notice to Lalu's son Tej Pratap over allotment of petrol pump

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad's elder son Tej Pratap, Bihar Health Minister, is embroiled in a fresh controversy related to the Office of Profit. Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), state-run oil marketing company (OMC), has issued a notice to the RJD scion over the allotment of a petrol pump on the outskirts of Patna.

The OMC has said that it has received a complaint against the RJD leader stating that he breached the terms and conditions of the license. BPCL has asked him to reply within two weeks.

"Under the terms and conditions mentioned in the 'Brochure for selection of Petrol/Diesel retail outlet dealers', it was clearly mentioned that the dealer would have to personally manage the affairs of the dealership. Therefore, he will not be eligible for taking up any other employment and have to resign from the prior employment. Moreover, it was also mentioned that applicants who own or have registered long-term lease will be given weightage over others," the company stated in the notice.

The company mentioned that a person named Chandrashekhar, along with others, have registered a complaint. They alleged that Tej Pratap falsely declared about the ownership of the land for the dealership, whereas the real owners of the said piece of land was AK Infosystems, who had never sold or leased it to him.  AK Infosystems is owned by his brother Tejaswi Yadav and his mother Rabri Devi. Tejaswi Yadav is currently serving as the deputy chief minister of Bihar.

"In addition, we observed you are at present discharging the duty of Minister for Health, Minor Irrigation, Environment and Forest in Bihar, which may suggest that you are not in a position to carry out the obligations contained in the agreement personally. It may amount to violation of the guideline," wrote the Territory Manager of the company in the notice.

BPCL has asked the minister to clarify his position within 15 days as to why action shall not be taken against him including the termination of the dealership. The petrol pump came into the limelight earlier this month, when opposition leader Sushil Kumar Modi exposed that Tej Pratap didn't own the 43 decimals of land on the outskirts of Patna while applying for it.