Ex-minister's son surrenders in Bihar businessman murder case

Raja Kumar, the son of former Bihar minister Bima Bharti, surrendered to the Purnia Civil Court on Wednesday. He is involved in the murder case of businessman Gopal Yaduka. The court placed Raja in judicial custody for 14 days. This case gained attention after Yaduka was shot dead on June 2, 2024, in Purnia. Raja's father, Awadhesh Mandal, had already surrendered in August last year. Both men are seen as main suspects in the murder. They plan to appeal their bail rejections in a higher court. After Yaduka's murder, police arrested four suspects who later claimed that Raja and Awadhesh were part of the crime. Bima Bharti has publicly defended her family, claiming they are innocent and are being targeted for political reasons. Since leaving her political party JD(U), Bharti has run unsuccessfully in elections, including the last Lok Sabha elections and a by-election in Rupauli. She finished in third place each time.