A senior Bihar police official assigned to probe the release of a Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate and brother of Union Minister of State Jaiprakash Narayan Yadav during the Bihar elections, has suddenly proceeded on leave.

Vijay Prakash Yadav, contesting the Jamui assembly seat, was arrested during the first phase of polls on Tuesday for moving about in his constituency with armed men, lakhs of rupees in cash and bottles of liquor.

Director General of Police Ashish Ranjan Sinha told PTI that he had asked Additional Director General of Police Manoj Nath to probe the matter and submit a report to him by 5:00 pm on Thursday.

Nath wrote to him that he was proceeding on leave and the matter was reported to the Election Commission, Sinha said. "Perhaps Nath was not not willing to inquire into the case," he said.

The EC was to have received the report of the inquiry from Nath by 5:00 pm on Thursday.

The EC had taken serious note of reports about the Union Minister, allegedly influencing the police for securing the release of his brother Vijay Prakash from Khaira police station in Jamui district hours after he was arrested with firearms and over Rs 6.68 lakh in cash during Tuesday's poll.

The RJD candidate had been arrested under non-bailable sections of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act. The EC had ordered the state administration to get the 'entire episode' thoroughly inquired.

Home Secretary H C Sirohi said the EC had asked the Divisional Commissioner of Munger Sanjiv Kumar Sinha to inquire into the release of Vijay Prakash, including the role of the Union Minister, and submit a report directly to the electoral body.

The Election Commission has directed the Bihar administration to immediately re-arrest Vijay Prakash.

"Prakash is likely to be arrested soon as police is on the job," Sirohi said. IG (Bhagalpur), N C Dhondiyal was removed on Wednesday by the orders of the Commission for having allegedly facilitated the candidate's release.

Jamui SP Arvind Kumar had suspended the officer in-charge of Khaira police station, Mukteshwar Prasad, for releasing the RJD candidate.

EC Special Adviser K J Rao, after visiting Jamui had ordered registration of a FIR against the officer in-charge. Rao had yesterday said he would submit a separate report to the Commission on the release of Vijay Prakash.