Central Bureau of Investigation officials arrives at the residence of Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Misa Bharti to question her father and party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in land-for-jobs scam case, in New Delhi, on March 7, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI
“The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on March 7 started questioning former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in connection with the land-for-jobs scam case where people were allegedly given jobs in the Railways in return for land parcels gifted or sold at cheap rates to the Yadav family and associates,” officials said.
“The examination of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo comes a day after his wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi was quizzed at her Patna residence by the Agency for nearly five hours,” they said.
Also read: Explained | What is the alleged land-for-jobs scam involving former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad?
According to officials, a team of five CBI officials arrived in two cars at 10.40 a.m. at the residence of Misha Bharti in Pandara Park on March 7 where Lalu Prasad is currently residing and the questioning will continue during the day.
The CBI has already filed a charge sheet in the case against Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi and 14 others under charges of criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, in which all the accused have been summoned on March 15, they said.
They said a fresh round of questioning is taking place as part of “further investigation” where the investigation agency is trying to ascertain the money trail and larger conspiracy.
The fresh questioning of ailing Lalu Prasad, who was convicted in a fodder scam, and his wife had evoked sharp criticism from the Opposition parties on March 6. Mr. Prasad’s son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav termed the CBI action a result of his family’s “relentless opposition” to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
“It is an open secret that the probe agencies are acting against political opponents of the BJP and helping those who agree to align with that party,” the RJD leader told reporters outside the Bihar Assembly on Monday.
He got support from the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party which targeted the Central government alleging that the saffron party wanted to “suppress” the voice of the Opposition.
“Today Rabri Devi ji is being harassed. Lalu Prasad ji and his family have been harassed for years because they did not bow down,” Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted.
AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said targeting and harassing Opposition leaders is wrong. The CBI had recently arrested the then Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the excise policy scam case.
