TNN

Betiah, Apr 22: Bihar police have raided the office of LJP candidate from West Champaran district, noted film director Prakash Jha. 

A police team led by West Champaran SP K S Anupam raided party offices of three major candidates of Paschim (West) Champaran Lok Sabha constituency and recovered Rs 10.25 lakh from the office of Prakash Jha. 38 persons were detained from the filmmaker’s office during the raid.

Prakash Jha’s constituency goes to polls on Thursday in the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls.

Prakash Jha is contesting against Lalu Prasad Yadav’s infamous brother-in-law and Congress candidate Sadhu Yadav as well as BJP nominee Dr Sanjay Jaiswal.

Raids were also conducted at the offices of the other two candidates from this constituency. While no cash was recovered from their offices, three people were taken into custody from Sadhu Yadav’s office.

The district administration has declared all the people not belonging to the district should leave the district after the end of the campaigning on Tuesday evening. Official sources said all people arrested during the raids do not belong to the district.

Prakas Jha termed the raid as illegal and told TOI that the cash recovered from his office premises belonged to Maurya sugar mills which he owns. Infact, he said, police also raided the sugar mills guest house adjacent to his election office.