Rabri Devi questioned in ‘land-for-jobs’ case

The CBI has already filed its chargesheet in the case, and the special court has summoned the accused, including Lalu and his family members, on March 15.

Lalu’s son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, who is among nine Opposition leaders who have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging “blatant” misuse of Central agencies, said: “We are not at all perturbed as there is little merit in the case. The CBI, ED and Income Tax will continue to visit us till 2024.”

In May last year, the CBI had booked Lalu and his family members in a fresh case of corruption. It had named 16 people, including Lalu, Rabri, daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav, as accused.

According to the CBI, at least eight persons were given Group D jobs in the Railways in lieu of plots of land when Lalu was the Railways Minister. Lalu and his family allegedly acquired over 1 lakh sq ft of land for just Rs 26 lakh, when the then cumulative market value was over Rs 4.39 crore.

Meanwhile, RJD supporters protested against the CBI questioning. “Where is the evidence? When the CBI is not able to produce any concrete evidence, it is a clear case of political vendetta,” said Prabhunath Yadav, Rabri’s brother.

Hitting back, BJP Rajya Sabha MP and former Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, who had first flagged the alleged land-for-jobs scam in 2017, said: “Those who are accused of corruption have been playing the victim card. Can Tejashwi reveal the identity of Lalan Choudhary, one of the land-for-job scam beneficiaries. Can Tejashwi explain why a poor person like Choudhary was made to gift his land to Lalu’s family? Questioning of Rabri Devi is part of the judicial process.”

JD(U) national spokesperson K C Tyagi told The Indian Express: “Central agencies were working before too but the manner in which they have been working these days indicates political vendetta. They have not got anything substantial in recent raids. These agencies should not do anything that makes one believe that any raids or questioning could be politically motivated”.