Patna: Two election candidates in Bihar are under investigation for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct during campaigning. An FIR has been lodged against Jan Suraaj Party candidate Ritesh Pandey and Rocky Yadav, son of a Janata Dal (United) candidate from Gaya, officials confirmed.
The Belaganj police station registered the FIR against Rocky Yadav following reports that a government security officer, provided for his father’s campaign, was present at campaign events with a weapon. Station House Officer Manoj Kumar Singh said the Flying Squad Team (FST) filed the application after a video showing the officer circulated widely online. “The presence of armed government personnel during a campaign is a clear breach of the code of conduct,” Singh added. Investigations are ongoing.
Separately, Ritesh Pandey was accused of violating the code during a large vehicle convoy in Kochas, Rohtas district. Sector Magistrate Om Prakash Singh lodged the FIR after receiving videos and photographs of the roadshow, which featured hundreds of vehicles near Mahatma Gandhi Chowk, reportedly causing major disruption to traffic on NH 319. Station House Officer Nitish Kumar described the event as “a gross violation of the Election Commission’s directives.”
