CBI questions Lalu Prasad in land-for-jobs scam case

The development comes a day after his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi was quizzed at her Patna residence in the same case for nearly five hours.

Published on: Mar 7, 2023, 11:12:36 IST

By HT News Desk

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A team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrived at Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Misa Bharti's residence in New Delhi to question her father and party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in land-for-jobs case. The examination of the RJD supremo comes a day after his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi was quizzed at her Patna residence in the same case for nearly five hours.

New Delhi: Media at the residence of RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, in New Delhi, Tuesday, March 7, 2023. (PTI)

A team of five CBI officials arrived at 10.40 am at Bharti's residence in Delhi's Pandara Park where Lalu Prasad, recovering from his recent kidney transplant surgery, is currently residing.

The central agency has already filed a charge sheet in the case against Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi and 14 others under charges of criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. A Delhi court on February 27 issued summons to Lalu Prasad and 14 other accused in the case to appear before it on March 15.

On Monday, Prasad's son and Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav termed the CBI action a result of his family's "relentless opposition" to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"It is an open secret that probe agencies are acting against political opponents of the BJP and helping those who agree to align with that party," the RJD leader told reporters outside the Bihar Assembly.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted, “Today Rabri Devi ji is being harassed. Lalu Prasad ji and his family have been harassed for years because they did not bow down.”

The alleged scam occurred between 2004 and 2009 when Lalu Prasad was the railway minister in the Congress-led coalition government at the Centre. CBI officials said the fresh round of questioning is taking place as part of "further investigation" where the agency is trying to ascertain the money trail and larger conspiracy.

(With inputs from agencies)

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