'She herself decided...' - CBI on fury over visit to Rabri Devi's home: Report

CBI at Rabri Devi's home: The former chief minister of Bihar is also a Member of the Legislative Assembly, and served as the Leader of the Opposition.

The Central Bureau of Investigation's visit to ex-Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi's Patna home Monday - to question her in connection with the land-for-jobs case - triggered furious protests from Rashtriya Janata Dal, which is allied with chief minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United).

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Rabri Devi. (ANI Photo)

However, amid the protests, an agency official told news agency ANI the CBI team visited Rabri Devi's home at her convenience and did not 'barge in'.

"Few days ago CBI summoned former Bihar CM Rabri Devi and she herself decided Monday, March 6, as the date of questioning at her residence. It's not that CBI barged in," the unnamed official said.

In fact, a Delhi court had issued a summons to both Rabri Devi and Lalu Yadav - her husband, also a former Bihar chief minister and RJD patriarch - on February 27. They, their daughter Misa Bharti, and others were to appear March 15.

Earlier today a team of CBI officials landed up at Rabri Devi's home - in four separate vehicles - at 9.30 am to question her. Their visit prompted furious reactions from the RJD, for whom party leader Bhai Birendra said 'they (the Bharatiya Janata Party) are afraid of losing and using agencies'.

READ | Land-for-job case: CBI team at former Bihar CM Rabri Devi’s residence

Birendra's comment was an echo of opposition leaders' allegations that the BJP continues to use central investigative agencies - like the CBI - to target rivals.

The claim has been voiced in an open letter to prime minister Narendra Modi issued Sunday and signed by nine opposition figures, including RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav - Lalu Yadav's son.

READ | 'Take our concerns seriously…': Sharad Pawar warns PM

The CBI team's visit was also slammed by Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, who called it 'humiliating'.

Two of Kejriwal's ministers - Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain - face charges of corruption and money laundering from the CBI and Enforcement Directorate.

Both quit their posts last week and this afternoon Sisodia - who was also Delhi's deputy chief minister - was remanded to judicial custody till March 20.

What is the alleged land-for-job scam?

The case dates back to 2005 - when Lalu Yadav was the union railway minister in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government. In October 2022 the CBI filed a chargesheet against Lalu, Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti and others.

The agency claimed its investigation found the accused - conspiring with (then) senior Railways officials - engaged persons as substitutes in lieu of land that was acquired at prices much lower than the market rates.

The CBI also claimed to have found anomalies in candidates' applications and enclosed documents, meaning the papers should not have been processed.

With input from ANI