Patna: The Bihar Special Task Force on Friday arrested RJD leader Deva Gupta, considered close to Tejashwi Yadav, during a raid at a residential apartment in the Patliputra police station area of Patna. Gupta, who was carrying a reward of ₹1 lakh, was taken into custody from Flat No. 301 of Radhika Apartment following a tip-off.
According to officials, an STF team conducted the operation based on specific intelligence inputs. Gupta is the husband of Motihari Municipal Corporation Mayor Preeti Kumari and had been named as the RJD candidate from Motihari in the 2025 Assembly elections. His arrest has triggered intense political reactions in Bihar’s political circles.
Preeti Kumari, speaking to the media, claimed that she was briefly detained by the STF for questioning and later released. Alleging harassment, she said two cases against her husband have been stayed by the court, while he is already on bail in the remaining cases.
Deva Gupta was at the top of a “hit list” of 100 criminals prepared by the Motihari police as part of a crime control drive. The list included alleged liquor mafias, land grabbers, and accused persons involved in murder and robbery. Police records indicate that Gupta faces 28 criminal cases, including serious charges such as murder, extortion, and illegal land grabbing. In two cases, he was reportedly absconding for a long period.
About two months ago, the Patna High Court had granted interim relief to Gupta, staying coercive action against him as well as the announcement of the ₹1 lakh reward, until the hearing on his anticipatory bail plea was completed. Following this order, police action against him had slowed down.
Based on the cases registered against him, the Superintendent of Police had earlier directed Gupta to surrender before the court or police within 10 days. Before the deadline expired, Gupta approached the high court, citing his pending anticipatory bail application and detailing the legal status of all cases against him. The court had then instructed the police not to take any punitive action till the hearing concluded.
Politically, Gupta’s rise began with local body elections. He first fielded his wife in the Motihari mayoral polls in 2022, which she won. He later sought a Lok Sabha ticket but was denied, after which he contested the Assembly elections. In 2025, the RJD nominated him from Motihari, where he faced BJP candidate Pramod Kumar.
JDU leader Neeraj Kumar had earlier claimed that Tejashwi Yadav travelled abroad with Deva Gupta and another associate, a remark that had sparked controversy.
Notably, Gupta’s arrest coincided with his wedding anniversary. Hours before his detention, he had shared a social media post praising his wife’s political journey and celebrating their relationship, which has since drawn widespread attention.
