Patna : Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs scam. He arrived at the ED office on Bank Road in Patna with his eldest daughter and Pataliputra MP, Misa Bharti. On Tuesday, Lalu’s wife and former Bihar Chief Minister, Rabri Devi, along with their elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, were also quizzed by ED officials.
The Allegations
The case centres on allegations that Lalu Prasad, during his tenure as Railway Minister between 2004 and 2009, facilitated the appointment of individuals to Group D positions in the Indian Railways in exchange for land parcels transferred to his family members at significantly undervalued rates. According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), over 1 lakh square feet of land in Bihar was acquired by the Yadav family for a mere Rs26 lakh — a fraction of its estimated market value of Rs4.39 crore.
The ED’s focus during Wednesday’s interrogation was on Yadav’s role in orchestrating these transactions. Officials reportedly asked over 50 questions, to which Yadav responded tersely, often with a simple “yes” or “no.” Sources suggest that at times, Lalu Prasad grew visibly agitated during the proceedings.
Tejashwi Yadav Hits Back
Outside the ED office, RJD supporters gathered in large numbers, raising slogans against the central government. Meanwhile, Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu’s son and Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister, took aim at the BJP-led Centre and its investigative agencies. “All the BJP teams are now working only in Bihar,” he said. “If I wasn’t in politics, there would be no case. They may try to harass us, but the more they do, the stronger we become.”
Tejashwi’s defiant remarks come in the wake of a series of ED interrogations involving his family. His mother and former Bihar Chief Minister, Rabri Devi, along with his elder brother, Tej Pratap Yadav, were questioned on Tuesday for over four hours. Both were reportedly interrogated in separate rooms.
Previous Interrogations and Court Hearings
The investigation has intensified in recent months. On January 20, 2024, both Lalu and Tejashwi were interrogated by ED teams from Delhi and Patna for over 10 hours. Lalu’s elder son, Tej Pratap, and daughter Hema Yadav also appeared before Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on March 11, where all accused were granted bail.
The Alleged Land-for-Jobs Deals
CBI investigations have unearthed at least seven questionable land deals linked to the scam:
February 2008: Kishun Dev Rai transferred 3,375 square feet of land to Rabri Devi for Rs3.75 lakh. Three family members were subsequently appointed to Group D positions in Central Railway, Mumbai.
2007-2008: Kiran Devi sold 80,905 square feet of land to Misa Bharti for Rs3.70 lakh. Her son, Abhishek Kumar, secured a job in Central Railway, Mumbai, a year later.
February 2007: Hazari Rai sold 9,527 square feet of land to a Delhi-based firm, AK Infosystem Private Limited, later acquired by Lalu’s family. His nephews, Dilchand and Prem Chand, obtained jobs in the Railways soon after.
2015: Patna resident Lal Babu Rai transferred 1,360 square feet of land to Rabri Devi for Rs13 lakh. His son, Lal Chand Kumar, had already secured a job in 2006.
March 2008: Hridayanand Chaudhary, a former employee at Rabri Devi’s cowshed, transferred land worth Rs62 lakh to Lalu’s daughter, Hema, after obtaining a railway job in 2005.
March 2008: Vishnu Dev Rai transferred 3,375 square feet of land to Siwan resident Lalan Chaudhary. His grandson, Pintu Kumar, secured a railway job in 2008. The land was subsequently transferred to Hema Yadav in 2014.
