Tej Pratap Yadav Jailed for 14 Days Amid Violent NEET Protests in Patna

Tej Pratap Yadav, president of the Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) and son of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, has been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody in Patna following his arrest over violent protests concerning the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. Yadav faces serious charges including rioting, attacking police personnel, damaging public property, obstructing public servants, and even an 'attempt to murder' charge under the recently enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). His lawyer has strongly questioned the procedural validity of the arrest, claiming the First Information Report (FIR) was filed a day after Yadav was taken into custody from a city mall. The arrest comes amidst a volatile 'Bihar Bandh' that saw widespread clashes between protesters and law enforcement, with stone-pelting, property damage, and the use of tear gas reported across several districts. The agitation in Bihar is part of a larger nationwide outcry over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination, a controversy that recently led to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Critics, including JJD Veena Manvi and Jan Suraaj Party's Prashant Kishor, have alleged political motivations and procedural lapses in Yadav's detention. Yadav is currently lodged in Beur Central Jail, and his legal team plans to file a bail application on Monday, July 27, raising questions about due process and the future course of the high-stakes case. The incident highlights the escalating tensions between student bodies, political opposition, and the government over the integrity of national entrance examinations and the right to protest, with further legal battles and public discourse expected as the investigation unfolds.