Land-for-job-scam: CBI summons Bihar Dy CM Tejashwi Yadav

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and RJD party leader Tejashwi Yadav in connection with the land for jobs scam.

According to reports, the CBI has stated that it has ample evidence against the RJD leader and hence summoned him for investigation.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids at over 15 locations, including the Delhi home of RJD party leader Tejashwi Yadav, in connection with an alleged money laundering case involving Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members.

About land-for-jobs scam

The ED's search is related to the land-for-jobs scam, in which individuals were allegedly appointed as substitutes in Group-D posts in railway zones in violation of guidelines laid down by the Railways during Yadav's tenure as Union Railway Minister from 2004-2009.

It is alleged that these individuals were provided with land at low rates in return for providing jobs, and later transferred the ownership of the land to Yadav's family members and a company later taken over by the family.

Raids at Rabri Devi's residence

In addition to the ED's search, earlier this month, a team from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) reached the residence of former CM Rabri Devi in Patna to record her statements in connection with the same case. However, officials inside her house confirmed that it was not a raid or search, but rather a questioning session.

The CBI's chargesheet, filed last year, accuses Yadav, his wife, and their daughters of conspiracy and corruption. However, RJD leaders have dismissed the allegations as politically motivated and accused the BJP of misusing central agencies, including the CBI, to target opposition leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav.

The questioning of Rabri Devi came a day after nine opposition party leaders, including her son and Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the central agencies were being misused by the BJP for political purposes. The letter stated that the moves of central agencies "had often sparked suspicion that they were working as extended wings of the ruling dispensation".