In a significant move, Bihar’s Rural Works Department Minister, Ashok Choudhary, has served a ₹100 crore defamation notice to Prashant Kishor, the founder of the Jan Suraaj Party. This legal action follows Kishor’s explosive claims that Minister Choudhary illegally accumulated assets exceeding ₹200 crore, allegedly through benami (proxy) transactions, over a mere two-year period. Choudhary’s notice demands a full, unconditional apology from Kishor; otherwise, he will face a substantial civil lawsuit for damages.
Choudhary, who also holds the position of national general secretary for the Janata Dal (United) party, issued a press statement asserting that Kishor’s accusations are “baseless and misleading,” suggesting they stem from his opponent’s “panic and frustration.”
The Minister highlighted that this isn’t their first legal confrontation, noting he had previously filed a separate defamation case against Kishor. In that earlier matter, Kishor was summoned by the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Patna for a complaint case scheduled for October 17, 2025.
“Prashant Kishor panicked after receiving the court summons and, in his agitation, hastily called a press conference where he made outlandish and false accusations,” Choudhary declared. He vehemently denied the claims, stating, “The alleged ₹200 crore worth of assets mentioned by Prashant Kishor is an outright fabrication.”
The Core of Kishor’s Allegations
Just last week, Kishor had publicly branded Mr. Choudhary as Bihar’s most corrupt politician. He specifically alleged that in 2021, Choudhary acquired 23 katthas of land in Bikram, Patna, through a benami transaction, registering it under his personal assistant’s name before transferring ownership to his daughter, Shambhavi Choudhary, who is a Member of Parliament for Samastipur.
Kishor further claimed, “Ashok Choudhary has accumulated assets exceeding ₹200 crore within the past two years alone. After his daughter’s engagement, land valued at hundreds of crores was reportedly purchased through the Manav Vaibhav Vikas Trust.” He urged trust members, including Jiyalal Arya and Anita Kunal, to step forward and provide clarification. The Trust, he pointed out, is linked to Ms. Shambhavi’s late father-in-law, Kishore Kunal.
He detailed that five specific land parcels, collectively valued at ₹38.44 crore, were acquired between Ms. Shambhavi’s engagement and wedding. Kishor raised questions about the flow of funds, asking why money from individuals connected to the Manav Vaibhav Vikas Trust entered the bank accounts of Mr. Choudhary and his wife.
Minister Responds: ‘Attempt to Tarnish Image’
Responding to these accusations, Mr. Choudhary asserted that Kishor’s allegations also represent a deliberate attempt to damage his daughter’s reputation.
He clarified, “The property in question was acquired by my daughter on February 21, 2021, using her legitimate income and resources. This asset is fully disclosed in her election affidavit, which means there is no question of any benami transaction in this matter.”
Choudhary further lambasted Kishor, stating, “Prashant Kishor possesses neither political integrity nor a genuine vision for public service. He is merely resorting to unsubstantiated statements and orchestrating a plot to deceive the public with groundless accusations. How can an individual whose entire political career is built on falsehoods and deceit genuinely speak of public welfare or protecting citizens’ interests?”
The Minister also refuted Kishor’s claim from the press conference that banking transactions occurred between his wife, Ms. Neeta Keskar Choudhary, and Ms. Anita Kunal, the widow of the late Kishore Kunal.
Choudhary firmly maintained that he has never had any direct or indirect involvement with the activities of the specific trust mentioned by Kishor, nor any other trust.
Reaffirming his integrity, Mr. Choudhary declared his public life to be entirely transparent and beyond reproach. He expressed confidence that “the law will run its course, and the truth will ultimately be unveiled in court.”
He added that Kishor’s “false and baseless” accusations have caused significant distress to him and his family, urging Kishor to issue a public apology for these damaging remarks.
Choudhary emphasized that given the evidence and surrounding circumstances, a formal defamation notice demanding ₹100 crore in damages has already been dispatched to Mr. Kishor.
“The notice stipulates that Mr. Kishor must issue an unconditional apology, both in writing and verbally via a press conference, within seven days,” Choudhary stated. “Failure to comply will result in the initiation of appropriate criminal proceedings against him, along with a civil lawsuit seeking ₹100 crore in damages.”