BPCL takes back petrol pump from Lalu Prasad’s son Tej Pratap Yadav

PATNA: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) on Thursday asked RJD chief Lalu Prasad's son Tej Pratap Yadav and his firm M/S Lara Automobiles to hand over to it, with immediate effect, the operation, assets and materials of a pump allotted to him here.

In June, BPCL had terminated the allotment on the grounds that Tej, a minister in the state government, had furnished false information and concealed facts when he applied for the pump in 2012.

However, on June 16, BPCL's action was challenged in the district court, which restrained it from terminating the allotment till further directive. Finally, on Wednesday, sub-judge Sachi Mishra vacated the temporary injunction and referred the matter to an arbitrator under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act.

The petrol pump was commissioned on February 27 this year. In its termination order, BPCL stated that, in his application, Tej had attached a consent letter from M/S AK Infosystems to set up the petrol pump on its land. But, in reality, the land had already been transferred by the firm to Tej's brother Tejashwi Prasad, deputy CM in the Nitish government.

In a showcause notice on May 29, BPCL had asked Tej to explain how he was carrying out the obligations of the firm and simultaneously discharging the duty of a minister. This was challenged by M/S Lara Automobiles in a Patna civil court on June 8. BJP was quick to demand the resignation of Tej and Tejashwi, who has been booked by CBI in a graft case pertaining to Lalu's tenure as rail minister.

Bharat Petroleum