Patna: Former Bihar minister and RJD state vice-president Bima Bharti has filed a police complaint after receiving a chilling extortion threat demanding Rs 10 lakh. The caller warned that failure to pay would result in her murder and followed up with abuse when asked to reveal his identity.
Bharti, a five-time MLA from the Rupauli assembly seat in Purnia, lodged the First Information Report (FIR) at Patna’s Phulwarisharif police station on Saturday, April 12 . The threats reportedly came from mobile number 8709124745.
According to the FIR, Bharti received a missed call from the number at 10:02 am on Saturday. Shortly after, the same number contacted her younger brother, Ashok Kumar Bharti, and demanded the extortion amount, threatening the former minister’s life if the demand was not met.
‘Killing you is not a big deal’
Both Bharti and her brother confirmed the sequence of events. On Sunday morning, a second threatening call came through to Bharti’s mobile, once again from the same number. The caller reiterated the demand and issued a fresh threat, reportedly saying: “Your husband and son are in jail. Killing you is not a big deal for me.” Attempts to reason with the caller were met with verbal abuse, according to Bharti.
The former minister has requested immediate police intervention and security. The threat comes amid mounting political and personal pressures on Bharti, who recently defected from Janata Dal (United) to Rashtriya Janata Dal during the Lok Sabha elections. She later contested the Rupauli by-election with RJD support but finished third.
Family under legal scrutiny
Bharti’s political woes have been compounded by serious legal troubles within her family. Her son, Raja, surrendered in Purnia Civil Court on March 7 in connection with the high-profile murder of businessman Gopal Yaduka. Raja had been absconding since his name surfaced in the case in June 2024. Her husband, Awadhesh Mandal, also surrendered in August 2024 and is currently lodged in Purnia Central Jail.
The police had earlier issued attachment notices at Bharti’s residence in relation to the murder investigation involving her son and husband.
