Bihar: Before Nitish's Floor Test, CBI Raids Multiple RJD Leaders In Land-For-Railway Jobs Scam

As the Nitish Kumar-led Mahagathbandhan is set to prove its majority in the Bihar Assembly today, CBI is raiding multiple locations, pan India, at places related to RJD leaders.

CBI RJD MLC Sunil Singh, in Patna.

New Delhi: Hours ahead of the floor test of the newly formed Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is conducting raids at multiple locations of RJD leaders in connection with alleged land-for-jobs scams dating back to Lalu Yadav's tenure as Railway minister in the UPA-I government.

Raids are underway at the residences of RJD MP Ashfaque Karim, Rajya Sabha MP Faiyaz Ahmad and RJD MLC Sunil Singh, EX MLC Subodh Rai and Former MLA RJD Abu Dojana. 

CBI raids are underway at 25 places in connection with land-for-jobs scam cases at different places in Delhi, Gurugram, Patna, Katihar, and Madhubani.

“It is being done intentionally. There is no meaning to it. They are doing it thinking that out of fear, MLAs will come in their favour,” RJD MLC Sunil Singh told ANI, whose residence is being raided by CBI.

Speaking on this, RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha said that CBI, ED and IT work for BJP and it works under the "BJP script", he further said that the moves have become predictable. 

"Our Deputy CM had said in the meeting yesterday that they will reach this level now. It didn't take even 24 hours. They stooped down even lower. What is this anger? That a Govt didn't run as per you? That it changed the alliance for public welfare," Manoj Jha was quoted by ANI.

What Is Land-For-Jobs Scam?

The CBI on May 18, 2022, filed a case against Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav, in addition to 12 people who were given jobs in the railway zones of Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hajipur. According to the agency, 1,05,292 sq ft of land situated in Patna was acquired by Lalu Prasad's family with cash payments to the sellers.

These lands belong to job aspirants' families which were allegedly transferred to or purchased in exchange for group-D jobs in the railways. 

"The current value of the above said seven parcels of land, including the land acquired through gift deeds, as per the existing circle rate is about Rs. 4.39 crore... The enquiry has revealed that the parcel of land, which was directly purchased by the family members of Lalu Prasad Yadav from the sellers, was purchased at lower rates than the prevailing circle rates," the FIR alleged, according to the PTI report.

Without any advertisement or public notice the people were appointed based on forged documents, the FIR said. 

Earlier Bhola Yadav, a close aide of Lalu Prasad Yadav, was arrested in connection with the scam. He was the officer on special duty (OSD) to the then railway minister Prasad between 2005 and 2009.