FIR against Awadesh Kushwaha in connection with sting video

A sting video of Kushwaha that purportedly showed him accepting bribe emerged a day before the first phase of the Bihar assembly polls

Trouble mounted for Awadesh Prasad Kushwaha, a former minister in the Nitish Kumar cabinet, with the police registering an FIR against him in connection with a sting video that purportedly showed him accepting bribe.

"An FIR has been registered against Awadesh Prasad Kushwaha with Sachivalaya police station last night," Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna, Vikash Vaibhav said today.

The SSP said the FIR was registered on the basis of the report of Executive Magistrate, Rajiv Mohan Sahay.

Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sachivalaya, Ashok Kumar Chaudhary has been entrusted with investigation in the case, the SSP said.

The FIR has been registered under IPC sections 171 (C) which relates to undue influence at elections, 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 420 (cheating).

The executive magistrate's report came in the wake of the direction of the Election Commission which had asked the District Magistrate to get the incident probed.

Kushwaha, who was Urban Development, Excise and Registration Minister in the Nitish Kumar cabinet, tendered his resignation after the surfacing of the sting video. JD(U) also removed him as its candidate from Pipra Assembly seat in East Champaran district.

Meanwhile, Kushwaha in an apparent reference to Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, has alleged conspiracy against him to ensure victory of Singh's close aide Shyam Babu Prasad from the seat.

He said he would expose the truth in the matter and also the people behind it.