Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav's questioning by Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials at the Patna office concluded after 9 hours on Monday evening. Earlier, he reached the probe agency office in connection with the alleged Land for Job scam case in the morning. The development comes a day after a change in guard in the Bihar political set-up with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ditching 'Mahagathbandhan' and forming the government along with the BJP.
A large number of RJD workers were present outside the office to protest the questioning of their party's national president. An RJD worker said that the Central government is harassing their leader in a bid to prevent them from making strategies for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
What did Lalu's daughter Misa Bharti said?
The RJD chief was accompanied by his daughter Misa Bharti to the probe agency's office. "These people do not have any other weapon. The government is harassing these people for the upcoming elections of 2024 so that they are not able to make strategies," she said. "The more Lalu Yadav is being harassed, the stronger the workers are becoming. None of us is afraid," the RJD supporter added."Everything is in front of the country and the people of the country are watching everything," Misa, surrounded by scores of RJD supporters, told reporters outside ED's office.
What did Rohini Acharya say?
Meanwhile, Lalu's daughter Rohini Acharya has yet again launched an indirect attack on the NDA government. "Everyone knows what is Papa's condition. He cannot walk without help. Still, how much will you degrade, you jackals.. This is Guddi's Lal Lalu. The lion is alone and not weak," read the rough translation of Acharya's post on X.
About the scam
The alleged scam transpired during Lalu Yadav's tenure as Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009. In addition to the RJD national president, the chargesheet implicates the then Railway General Manager. Lalu purportedly facilitated the transfer of lands owned by candidates and their family members, who were seeking appointments in the Railways, to his wife Rabri Devi and daughter Misa Bharti. The sale consideration for these transfers was significantly lower than both the prevailing circle rates and the market rates at the time.
The CBI filed the chargesheet in October of the preceding year, naming former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, their daughter Misa Bharti, and 13 others in the land-for-jobs scam. According to the CBI, individuals were initially recruited as substitutes in Group D posts in the Railways and later regularized when their families engaged in a land deal.
The CBI is actively investigating allegations of accepting land as a bribe in exchange for job opportunities within the Railways, while concurrently, the ED is probing potential money laundering in the same case. A chargesheet has also been filed by the CBI in connection with this investigation.
(With inputs from ANI)
ALSO READ: Lalu Yadav takes dig at Centre over Bharat Ratna to Karpoori Thakur, says 'Govt woke up when...'
