NEW DELHI: Bihar's deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation here for questioning in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs scam after skipping three previous dates. While his Rajya Sabha MP sister Misa Bharti appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case in the same scam.
Mr Yadav, who arrived at the CBI headquarters at around 10.30 am, was questioned till around 8 pm with a nearly 90-minute lunch break, during which he left the building. Whereas, the ED sleuths grilled Ms Bharti for around eight hours.
Slamming the BJP over the questioning of the two RJD leaders, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged that the ruling party wants to finish off the Opposition and democracy. She also expressed solidarity, saying: "We are all united against the attack on democracy."
In a tweet in Hindi, she said: "BJP wants to finish off the Opposition and democracy from the country. That is why it is continuously attacking the voice of the people in the Opposition."
The case pertains to job aspirants allegedly getting employment in the Indian Railways in lieu of land parcels gifted or sold at cheap rates to Lalu Prasad Yadav's family and its associates during his tenure as the railway minister from 2004 to 2009.
Ms Bharti, 46, reached the ED’s office here around 11 am. It is understood that her statement was recorded by the investigating officer under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The CBI's line of inquiry was believed to have focused on Mr Yadav's financial transactions, including his purported links to AB Exports Private Limited and AK Infosystems Pvt Ltd.
The ED, after its raids on February 10, said that it had seized "unaccounted cash" worth '1 crore and detected proceeds of crime worth '600 crores. It also said that the investigation was underway to unearth more investments made on behalf of Lalu Yadav’s family and their associates in various sectors, including real estate, at various places.
Last week, the CBI gave an assurance to the Delhi high court that it will not arrest the Bihar deputy CM this month. According to the RJD leader's counsel, Maninder Singh, Mr Yadav had conveyed to the Central agency that he will require some time to appear before agency sleuths because of the ongoing Bihar Assembly session, which is scheduled to conclude on April 5.
The RJD leader had sought the quashing of the summonses dated February 28, March 4 and March 11 issued against him.
The CBI's investigation against the Yadav family and others is part of its ongoing probe into documents and evidence that surfaced after the first chargesheet was submitted, as well as the alleged roles of the accused that could not be completed by the time the initial report was filed, probe agency officials said.
The officials also said the fresh round of questioning of the accused is taking place as part of "further investigation" based on fresh inputs gathered during the agency's ongoing probe.
On March 15, a special CBI court granted bail to Mr Yadav's parents, Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, Ms Bharti and others in the land for jobs scam case.
The CBI, in its chargesheet, alleged that during Lalu Yadav's tenure as railway minister, irregular appointments were made in the Central Railway in violation of the norms and procedures of the Indian Railways for recruitment.
No advertisement or public notice was issued for the appointments, but some residents of Patna were appointed as substitutes in different zonal railways located at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hajipur, the CBI alleged.
In the last raid by the ED, searches were conducted in multiple cities in Delhi, Bihar and other locations, including the premises of Lalu Prasad's three daughters and RJD leaders.
