A land-grab case has been filed against Union Minister of State for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Giiraj Singh by the Danapur Police in Patna, Bihar. Singh has been named as the accused along with 31 others and has been charged with forgery and criminal conspiracy.

In what might be an embarrassment to the Modi-led BJP Government at the Centre which speaks about the need to rid corruption at all levels, Singh’s name figures in the land-grab case which was being dealt with by a designated District Court to hear cases relating to SCs/STs. The Court directed the Danapur Police to book cases of land-grab against Singh and 31 others, who is ‘accused No.25’ on the list.

The case relates to Plot No.495 in Ashopur Mauja measuring 2.56 acres, said to be a gift to the Minister, which he transferred in others’ name using forged documents. Tejashwi Yadav, son of former chief-minister Laloo Prasad Yadav, didn’t waste time in blaming deputy chief-minister Sushil Kumar Modi for Singh’s involvement in the land-grab case.  It may be recalled that Modi had leveled land-grab accusations against Tejashwi in the past.

Responding to the case, Giriraj Singh said he came to know of the case only after seeing Yadav’s Tweets about it. “It appears that Yadav has ‘hatched’ a conspiracy against me but I won’t say anything on this till I get a copy of the FIR and the facts of the case. I shall always support the judiciary,” he assured.