Why ex-Bihar CM Rabri Devi being grilled by CBI? What is the land-for-jobs scam?

New Delhi: A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team on Monday reached the residence of former Bihar CM Rabri Devi for questioning her in the alleged land for jobs scam. The news of ‘CBI raid’ created flutter in Bihar’s political circles but the agency sources clarified that its visit to Rabri’s Patna residence was for questioning the accused & no searches were being conducted.

Rabri Devi is an accused in the land-for-jobs scam along with RJD patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav & 14 others. All the accused have been told to appear in Delhi court in a week time over their connection & collusion in alleged scam.

Rabri’s grilling comes a day after 8 Opposition parties wrote to Prime Minister yesterday, accusing it of misusing central agencies for BJP’s political motives.

Apart from Rabri Devi, a couple of people from the Yadav family including Lalu Yadav & daughter Misa Bharti have been named as accused. Former General Manager of Central Railways Sowmya Raghavan is also under CBI lens over complicity in the scam. Seven job aspirants who allegedly got jobs in exchange for land at dirt-cheap prices, will also be probed.

What is Land-for-jobs scam?

The land for jobs case pertains to implementation of government jobs in the Railways, in return for the land parcels being gifted to Lalu’s family, when he was the Union Railway Minister between 2004 – 2009.

According to CBI chargesheet, these job aspirants were appointed at various positions under the Group-D posts of Indian Railways. In return for government job, they reportedly transferred the ownership of land in name of either Lalu’s family or to a company named AK Infosystems Private Limited, which was later on taken over by the family.

In July 2022, one of Yadav’s aide and former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Bhola Yadav was arrested by the investigative agency.