Patna, Jul 16 (IANS): Separate teams of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids on the residences of former MLA Gulab Yadav in Bihar’s Jhanjharpur, Patna and Maharashtra’s Pune, as part of a money laundering probe on Tuesday.

The raid at his residence in Gangapur village, Lakhnaur block of Jhanjharpur began at 6 a.m., during which important documents were seized. For security, a group of CRPF personnel has been deployed outside the house.

Simultaneous raids took place at his residences in Patna and Pune as well. While Gulab Yadav, his wife Ambika Gulab Yadav, and daughter Bindu Gulab Yadav are currently in Patna, the Jhanjharpur house is only occupied by a couple of caretakers. The caretakers are being questioned by the ED. The specific case prompting these raids has not yet been disclosed.

Gulab Yadav was elected MLA on the RJD ticket in 2015, where he defeated former minister Nitish Mishra in the Jhanjharpur assembly seat.

He lost the subsequent election in 2020. After RJD refused to grant him a ticket for the 2024 Lok Sabha election, he joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and contested from the Jhanjharpur seat, though unsuccessfully.

His wife, Ambika Gulab Yadav, is an Independent MLC, and his daughter, Bindu Gulab Yadav, serves as the president of the Madhubani district council, highlighting the family's significant influence in the region.