Patna: Tension between two of the most powerful political families of Bihar was in limelight once again as Chandrika Rai -- father-in-law of RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s son Tej Pratap Yadav -- refused to accept the dowry articles returned by former chief minister Rabri Devi on Thursday night, suspecting that the Yadav family may have tried to slip "objectionable material" to get him into trouble.
The items were sent to Rai’s residence in response to the women’s helpline notice served to Rabri Devi on December 18, which had asked Rabri Devi to respond to an application by her daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai’s mother Poornima Devi who had demanded return of all articles given as ‘dowry’ after her daughter was allegedly thrown out by them.
As the two pick-up vans containing the 'dowry' articles arrived at his residence, Rai refused to unload the items alleging that it was not in conformity to the legal provisions.
He said, "who knows what is in the vans. It can contain any objectionable material. If she had to send the belongings back, she should have informed us. She should have sent the belongings with prior information and should have prepared the list in the presence of a Magistrate."
Rai informed Shashtri Nagar police about the matter and an investigation is currently underway.
The pick-up van drivers said that they were called at the residence of Lalu Prasad on Thursday evening from Meethapur vegetable market. They were told that they had to deliver something. The goods were loaded and they were sent to Chandrika Rai's residence.
“Now we are here and we don’t know what to do with the items,” a driver said.
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Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad’s estranged daughter-in-law Aishwarya had, earlier, lodged an FIR in Patna, accusing the former chief minister and her mother-in-law Rabri Devi, eldest sister-in-law Misa Bharti and husband Tej Pratap of harassing and assaulting her.
