How Champa Biswas, Shilpi Jain Case Defined Bihar’s ‘Jungle Raj’

The term ‘Jungle Raj,’ once used to describe Bihar’s lawlessness during the 15-year rule of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi, resurfaced during the state assembly elections. The phrase, which means “rule of the jungle,” became popular in the 2000s to describe a time when crime and political interference reportedly went unchecked in the state.

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Lalu Prasad Yadav served as Bihar’s Chief Minister from 1990 to 1997, followed by his wife Rabri Devi until 2005. Critics used the term to highlight the alleged breakdown of law and order during their rule.

As Bihar waits for the assembly election results 2025, old cases from that period are once again being discussed.

Champa Biswas Case:

The Champa Biswas case, which exposed the deep nexus between politics and crime in the 1990s. Champa, the wife of an IAS officer, was reportedly raped repeatedly for two years in Patna by Mrityunjay Yadav, son of RJD leader and former MLA Hemlata Yadav, who was said to be close to Lalu Yadav. Her niece and two domestic workers were also assaulted. Despite her repeated appeals to the police, no help came. She was even threatened to stay silent. The case only gained attention when she wrote to then-Governor Sunder Singh Bhandari, leading to an inquiry. Mrityunjay and Hemlata were convicted in 2002 but later acquitted by the Patna High Court in 2010.

Shilpi Jain Case:

Another case that shook Bihar was the Shilpi Jain–Gautam Singh murders in 1999. The semi-nude bodies of the young couple were found in a car linked to Sadhu Yadav, brother of Rabri Devi and an RJD MLA. The police initially declared it a suicide, but serious lapses in the investigation raised doubts. The case was later handed to the CBI, which also called it a suicide. However, Shilpi’s parents continue to believe it was murder and demand a fresh probe.

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