Land-for-jobs case: CBI starts questioning Lalu Yadav

New Delhi: A day after reaching former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi’s residence, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday started questioning former Union Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, in connection with the land-for-jobs case.

The questioning is taking place in Pandara parak residence of his daughter Misa Bharti residence. Misa Bharti is a Rajya Sabha member. Lalu Yadav’s family said that they will cooperate in the investigation.

Earlier, a CBI official had said that the central agency had served notice to Yadav a few days ago and is likely to question Lalu Yadav soon.

“A few days ago, CBI had served notice to former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav in connection with the land-for-job case. CBI is likely to question Lalu Yadav soon,” a CBI official told ANI on Monday.

Earlier on Monday, CBI reached the residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi in Patna in the alleged case.

CBI had filed the chargesheet in October last year, against former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, their daughter Misa Bharti and 13 others in the land-for-jobs scam.

The chargesheet stated that during the investigation, it was found that the accused in conspiracy with the then GM Central Railways and CPO, Central Railways engaged persons as substitutes in lieu of land either in their name or in the name of their close relatives.

This land was acquired at prices lower than the prevailing circle rate and much lower than the market rate. It was also alleged that the candidates have used false TC and submitted false attested documents to the Ministry of Railways, said the CBI statement.

The alleged scam occurred between 2004 and 2009 when Lalu Yadav was the Railway Minister. Apart from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief, the chargesheet also includes the name of the then Railway General Manager.

CBI stated that the investigation had revealed that the candidates were considered for their engagement without any need for substitutes and there was no urgency for their appointment which was one of the main criteria behind the engagement of substitutes and they joined their duties much later from the approval of their appointment and they were subsequently regularised.

There were several anomalies found in the applications of the candidates and the documents that were enclosed due to which the applications should not have been processed and their engagement should not have been approved but it was done.

Further, in most of the cases, the candidates joined their jobs in their respective divisions on many later dates which defeated the purpose of appointment of Substitutes and in some cases, the candidates could not clear their medical examination under the required category to which their engagement was made and subsequently, they were considered and appointed on the posts where inferior/lower medical category was required, said the CBI.

Recently on February 27, while taking cognizance of the CBI chargesheet, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court issued summons against Lalu, his wife Rabri Devi and 14 others in connection with alleged land-for-job scam.