The police reportedly detained former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's son Praveen Manjhi in Jehanabad on Sunday after allegeldly finding him in possession of Rs 4.65 lakh.

"Parween Manjhi was detained after Rs 4.65 lakh was found in his vehicle during ongoing checking for unaccounted cash...," a district police official told IANS.

The police detained Praveen as the model code of conduct is in force in the state in the wake of five-phase assembly elections, scheduled to begin on 12 October.

The police took Praveen to Makhdumpur police station to question him about the source of the cash. It was later reported that he had to pay the amount to a contractor for construction work going on at his residence in Patna's Kankarbagh area.

"Payment had to be made to contractor as some construction is going on at Kankarbagh residence," spokesperson of Manjhi's party Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), Danish Rizwan, told ANI.

Jitan Ram Manjhi represented Makhdumpur (SC) seat in Jehanabad district as an MLA when he was in JD(U). However, he resigned as the member of Bihar legislative assembly in August.

His party HAM, which he founded after being expelled from JD(U), is contesting the Bihar Assembly polls in alliance with the BJP and other constituents of NDA. However, the alliance is facing some turbulence over seat sharing. The BJP has reportedly offered 15 seats to HAM, while Manjhi is reportedly demanding more.

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