Land-for-jobs case: Lalu grilled by ED for 10 hours

Lalu Prasad, along with his elder daughter Misa Bharti, a Rajya Sabha MP, reached the ED office around 11am. Bharti, who was not allowed inside, sat outside the ED office campus along with a host of legislators till 9.05 pm, when her father walked out after the marathon questioning.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday questioned Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad for more than 10 hours at its Patna office in connection with the land-for-jobs case, even as party leaders and supporters sat outside the entire day, shouting slogans.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad arrives at the ED office in Patna on Monday. (HT photo)

Lalu Prasad, along with his elder daughter Misa Bharti, a Rajya Sabha MP, reached the ED office around 11am. Bharti, who was not allowed inside, sat outside the ED office campus along with a host of legislators till 9.05 pm, when her father walked out after the marathon questioning.

The federal agency, which is probing the money laundering angle in the case, had issued summons to Lalu Prasad on January 19, after he failed to appear on earlier dates.

The RJD’ chief’s son, Tejashwi Yadav, who was the deputy chief minister in the Nitish Kumar government till Sunday morning, has also been summoned for questioning in the case on Tuesday.

Misa Bharti, who had brought along food and medicines for her ailing father, told the media persons gathered at the spot, “This is not a new thing. This greeting card is being sent to those who are not coming with them. Whenever any agency calls our family, we go there and cooperate with them and answer their questions.”

She said her father was not well and could not even eat himself. “Somebody feeds him. We don’t know if he could eat anything during the questioning and how many questions the ED has for him. No ED official is ready to speak anything. The PM is afraid as the election is near and he would keep doing such things,” she said during the day.

Lalu Prasad’s another daughter, Rohini Acharya, who had donated kidney to him, said it was inhuman on part of ED officials to treat a sick and elderly person like this. “Even his attendant was not allowed inside despite requests,” she said.

Meanwhile, security at the ED office in Patna was beefed up during Lalu Prasad’s questioning. A battalion each of CRPF and Bihar Special Auxiliary Police (BSAP) was deployed at the office to prevent any law and order situation.

The case, first lodged by the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation), relates to allegations that during his stint as railway minister from 2004-09, Lalu Prasad gave away railway jobs in lieu of plots of land either gifted or sold at throwaway prices by the beneficiaries to his family members.

Besides Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and daughters Misa and Hema Yadav are also named in the CBI FIR, among other 12 accused.

The ED had, in March 2023, conducted searches at the premises linked to Lalu Prasad and his family members.