A Gaya court in Bihar has recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the alleged custodial abduction of a Patna-based businessman Atul Prakash.

Sacked Bihar Minister of State for Excise Surendra Yadav and Rashtriya Janta Dal Member of the Legislative Council Azad Gandhi are the main accused in the case, including some policemen.

District and Sessions Judge Jawahar Lal Chaudhary, in his order, observed that the Bihar police may not be in a position to conduct a fair probe in view of the involvement of powerful politicians of the state and therefore referred the case to the CBI.

Chaudhary had on Thursday rejected anticipatory bail petitions of Yadav and Gandhi.

The court had also dismissed the regular bail petitions of sub-inspector Ramakant Ram and constables Mahendra Singh and Neyaz Khan. They are presently lodged in the central jail in Gaya.

The court of Gaya Additional District Judge R K Singh had issued arrest warrants against Surendra Yadav, Gandhi and Pappu Yadav, brother-in-law of Subhas Yadav, MLC, who is also the brother of Chief Minister Rabri Devi.

The warrants were issued at the request of Rampur police, where a First Information Report was lodged against them in connection with the abduction and torture of the businessman last month.

The three policemen posted at Kotwali police station at Patna, who accompanied the businessman Atul Prakash while being brought from Gujarat, were arrested at the instruction of the then Gaya Superintendent of Police Ravindran Shankaran on the charge of colluding with the sacked minister and others.

The former minister and other accused have been absconding since then.