Land-for-jobs scam: In connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged land-for-jobs scam, RJD leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav was on Tuesday questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for about nine hours at the agency office in New Delhi.
According to officials, Yadav had reached the federal agency's office at around 10:45 am. His statement was recorded under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) before he left the office at 9 pm. "What punishment will these people give when nothing wrong has happened", Yadav told reporters after coming out of the ED's office.
Last month, the CBI had summoned the RJD leader in this case. Earlier on March 25, Yadav's MP-sister Misa Bharti was also questioned by the ED, the same day he had deposed before the CBI.
Both CBI and ED probing the case
Both the central agencies recently initiated action in the case, with the CBI questioning Lalu Prasad and his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and the ED carrying out raids against the RJD chief's family.
The ED, after the searches, said it seized "unaccounted cash" of Rs 1 crore and detected proceeds of crime worth Rs 600 crore. It said the investigation was underway to unearth more investments made on behalf of Prasad's family and their associates in various sectors, including real estate, at various places.
What's the case?
The case relates to alleged appointments made in the railways in return for land parcels gifted or sold to Lalu Prasad Yadav's family when he was railway minister between 2004 and 2009. The CBI, in its chargesheet, alleged that irregular appointments were made in the railways, violating norms and procedures of the Indian Railways for recruitment.
It is alleged that during the period 2004-09, various persons were appointed to Group D positions in various zones of the Indian Railways, and in lieu, the persons concerned transferred their land to the family members of Prasad, the then minister of railways, and AK Infosystems Pvt Ltd.
It is alleged by the CBI that no advertisement or public notice was issued for the appointment but some residents of Patna were appointed as substitutes in different zonal railways located at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hazipur.
In his plea, Tejashwi said section 160 of the CrPC, under which the CBI has issued him summons, states that notices for the appearance of a person should be within the local jurisdiction of a police station or within the adjoining police station of the place the person is located.
(With PTI inputs)
