ED raids Tejashwi Yadav’s Delhi house in land scam probe
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is raiding Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav’s Delhi residence in connection with the land scam case. ED sleuths started raids around 8.30 am at the RJD chief’s residence located in New Friends Colony in the national capital.
In connection with this case, the enforcement officials have also visited Samajwadi Party leader Jitendra Yadav’s residence in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Jitendra Yadav is Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter Ragini’s husband.
15 locations in three states are being raided in connection with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) scam. A search is also underway at the house of RJD leader and Lalu Prasad Yadav’s aide Abu Dojana in Patna, Bihar.
ED searches are underway in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai, including properties linked to Lalu Yadav and his family members.
The raids come days after the CBI probed former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in connection with the land scam.
The case pertains to allegations that the Yadav family and its associates were offered jobs in the railways in return for land parcels being sold as gifts or at cheap prices.
The CBI has charged Prasad, his wife, former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and 14 others under provisions of the Criminal Conspiracy and Prevention of Corruption Act, and all the accused have been summoned on March 15.
The CBI has alleged that Lalu Prasad Yadav, who was the railway minister during 2004-2009, transferred the land property in the name of his family members in return for appointing differently-abled persons in the group. “D” designation in different zones of Railways.
The ED case, registered under the crime sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, was based on this CBI complaint.
Opposition leaders last week wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that the Center is misusing central institutions to solve political problems. Among the signatories was Tejashwi Yadav. The letter mentions Lalu Yadav among the opposition leaders targeted by the central agencies.
RJD reacts to ED heat
The RJD reacted to the ED’s probe into the employment scam and hit out at the ruling BJP.
We are not afraid of ED and CBI. This is being done at the behest of the BJP in view of the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. “The more you suppress Lalu and Tejaswi, the more they will be exposed,” said spokesperson Uday Narayan Chowdhury.
BJP has lost faith in democracy. Due to political pressure, action is being taken by central bodies. BJP will perish in 2024. When the BJP sits as the opposition tomorrow, the CBI and enforcement agencies will reach the spot,” said RJD leader Mridunjay Tiwari.
