Land-For-Jobs Scam: CBI Raids RJD Leaders On Day Of Mahagathbandhan Floor Test In Bihar

The CBI on Wednesday carried out searches at 25 locations, including at an under-construction mall in Gurugram believed to being built by a firm owned by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs scam, officials said.

The searches are being carried out in Delhi, Gurugram, Patna, Madhubani, Katihar among others. The under-construction Urban Cubes mall in sector 71 of Gurugram is being constructed by a company Whiteland in which Yadav's family has a stake in ownership, they said. 

The residence of Lalu Prasad Yadav's aide Sunil Singh was also raided in connection with the land-for-jobs scam in Bihar that allegedly took place during the tenure of party supremo Lalu Prasad. The CBI has also raided RJD leaders Subodh Roy, Ashfaque Karim and Faiyaz Ahmad.

RJD RS MP Manoj Jha said, "Useless to say that it's a raid by ED or IT or CBI, it's a raid by BJP. They work under BJP now, their offices run with BJP script. Today is Floor Test (in Bihar Assembly) and what's happening here? It has become predictable."

Sunil Singh, known to be close to Prasad, yelled from the balcony of his apartment "this is 100 per cent intentional. These people have entered my house without even informing the local police. They are asking me to sign a document".

Singh's wife screamed "my husband is being victimised because of his loyalties. The CBI will get nothing from our place. I will sue the agency for defamation".

The CBI has named the RJD supremo, his wife Rabri Devi, and daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav, in addition to 12 people who were given jobs in Railway zones of Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur, Hajipur in 2008-09 in the case, officials said.

The 'Mahagathbandhan', which comprises Bihar chief minister's JD(U), besides RJD, Congress, CPI(ML), CPI and CPI(M), has a combined strength of more than 160 in the 243-strong House.

RJD spokesman Shakti Singh Yadav said, "I am hardly surprised. I had, in a tweet last night itself, had spoken of ED, CBI and IT planning their next operation in Bihar."

Congress spokesperson Asit Nath Tiwari said that with a change of guard, these officials may end up being probed by the very agencies in which they are holding posts.

"Officials of these agencies should remember that neither Hitler nor Mussolini lasted in power forever," he said.

JD(U) chief spokesman and MLC Neeraj Kumar also deplored the raids as "a dangerous game of shakti parikshan (test of strength) by the central government in Bihar through CBI and ED".

Rabri Devi's home raided

Former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, whose own residence here was raided by the agency in connection with the case a few months ago, told reporters, "The people are watching and they can understand what is behind these raids."

The case pertains to her husband and RJD president Lalu Prasad's tenure as railway minister. Raids were taking place at the residences of party MLC Sunil Singh, a close aide, besides Rajya Sabha MPs Ashfaq Karim and Faiyaz Ahmed and former MLC Subodh Rai.

What is the case?

The case in which searches are being conducted was registered on May 18 against RJD supremo Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, and daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav, in addition to 12 people who were given jobs in Railway zones of Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur, Hajipur in 2008-09, the officials said.

The central agency had registered a preliminary enquiry on September 23, 2021 related to the land-for-jobs scam in Railways.

The candidates were appointed as substitutes in group D positions within three days of applying in "undue haste" by Railway officials and were later regularised "in lieu thereof the individuals themselves or their family members transferred their land," according to the agency.

The transfers were made through three sale deeds in the name of Rabri Devi and one in the name of Misa Bharti and two gift deeds in the name of Hema Yadav, the agency alleged.

Meanwhile, sparks are set to fly at the Bihar assembly on Wednesday when the BJP, now stripped of power and politically isolated, will try to hold its own against the mighty seven-party ruling 'Mahagathbandhan'.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who, following days of simmering tensions, finally ended his party Janata Dal (United)'s alliance with the BJP and formed a government with the RJD and other parties earlier this month, is all set to prove his majority in the state Assembly today.

(with PTI inputs)