Aurangabad man held for ‘threatening’ Tej

Patna: A man in Aurangabad was arrested on Wednesday on the charge of allegedly threatening state environment and forest minister Tej Pratap Yadav, police said.However, accused Sunil Kumar Mandal claimed innocence, saying he was a RJD supporter and had only contacted the minister over phone and requested him to withdraw the FIRs against six persons of the district. Tej Pratap has a bike showroom-cum service centre at Kama Bigha Mor in Aurangabad. The six persons had gone to the service centre on April 17 and had a dispute with the employees over some issue and were allegedly involved in vandalising the establishment.In view of the damage, the service centre's caretaker, Ajay Yadvendu, lodged two FIRs against those persons and Mandal in the Town police station.As per the first FIR, Vikas Kumar had come to get his bike serviced and got involved in a verbal duel with employees. Soon he called some of his friends and they pelted stones on the showroom and damaged property then.Town police station SHO S B Sharan said: “We have registered an FIR for creating ruckus and damaging the properties of the showroom and another for threatening minister Tej Pratap Yadav. Sunil Kumar Mandal had called up Tej Pratap on Monday and threatened him to withdraw the FIR against alleged youths who were involved in damaging the showroom. We have arrested Mandal on Wednesday and produced before the duty magistrate who sent him to 14 days judicial custody.”After the court hearing, Mandal told local media persons that he had called the minister and requested him to withdraw the case against the six youths. “After the incident at the service centre, the accused youths came to my house and requested me to talk to Tej Pratap. Hence, I contacted him on April 17 and passed the request but he levelled allegations on me for threatening him. I have no capacity to threaten a powerful minister of the state," Mandal said.He said his family is a RJD supporter and “I am paying the price only for requesting him”. IANS