JD-U suspends ex-legislator for liquor ban violation

Patna: The Janata Dal-United (JD-U) on Thursday suspended from its membership former legislator Lalan Ram who was arrested for violating the ban on consuming liquor in Bihar.

"Taking serious note of the violation of a total liquor ban by him, the JD-U has suspended him on the charge of giving a bad name to the party," JD-U spokesman Sanjay Singh said.

Lalan Ram was arrested on Wednesday evening after a video clip showed him consuming beer and saying, "Wherever he (Chief Minister Nitish Kumar) will go, (he will find) nobody complies with it (the liquor ban)."

According to police officials, a case was lodged against Lalan Ram, former legislator from Kutumba constituency in Aurangabad district of Bihar, by the excise department for violation of liquor ban. The arrest then followed.

Lalan Ram is the second JD-U leader after Manorama Devi to have been arrested and suspended from the party for violation of liquor ban in Bihar since the state government imposed the prohibition with effect from April 5 this year.

Manorama Devi, a JD-U legislator, was arrested on May 18 after police found liquor bottles from her residence in Gaya district.

The JD-U is part of the ruling coalition in Bihar whose other allies are the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress.

The party is headed by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.