CBI again summons Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav in land-for-job scam after no-show

The CBI has summoned Bihar Deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav today in connection with the land-for-job case, news agency ANI reported citing an official. This is the second summon issued to him, the first being issued on February 4.

Earlier on Friday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches in multiple cities of Bihar and other locations, including premises of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav's family and other RJD leaders, in connection with a money laundering investigation into the land for jobs 'scam' case.

The ED in its raids seized Rs 53 lakh, USD 1,900, about 540 grams of gold and bullion and 1.5 kg of gold jewellery, sources in the agency said. One of the locations searched was a house in south Delhi where Lalu Prasad's son, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, Tejashwi Yadav was present, they said.

The federal agency carried out these searches days after a CBI team questioned Lalu Prasad in connection with the land-for-jobs case. The CBI on Tuesday quizzed Lalu Prasad for nearly five hours in two sessions.

The CBI on Monday also questioned Lalu Prasad's wife, former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, at her Patna (Bihar) residence for over five hours.

What is 'Land For Jobs' Scam case?

The alleged scam took place when Lalu Prasad Yadav served as Union Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009 under the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

The RJD patriarch Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and his daughters Misa and Hema Yadav were allegedly given land plots as bribes by some individuals hired by the Railways in 2008-2009, in addition to 12 individuals who were given jobs in the Railway zones of Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur, and Hajipur, according to the CBI.

According to CBI investigations, Lalu's family purchased about 1.05 lakh sq ft of land in Patna in this manner for merely Rs 26 lakh, despite the fact that the land's actual value is estimated to be more than Rs 4.39 crore and in most cases payment to the sellers was shown in cash.

On September 23, 2021, the central agency initiated a preliminary investigation into the Railway's land-for-jobs fraud.

The CBI has filed a charge sheet in the case against Lalu Prasad, his wife and 14 others under charges of criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and all the accused have been summoned on March 15, officials had said. The ED case, filed under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, stems from this CBI complaint.

The CBI had earlier arrested Bhola Yadav, former Officer on Special Duty to the then Railway Minister and the Railway employee, Hridayanand Choudhary, for their alleged role. Another "beneficiary" named Dharmendra Rai was arrested previously.

Tejashwi Yadav has denied the allegations and has said that they are politically motivated. The case is currently being investigated by India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).