Two days after organising a massive rally here, RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s family members were questioned on Tuesday by Income Tax department officials in connection with benami (proxy) property cases against them.
The I-T department had earlier served notice on them. But Mr. Prasad’s family members sought two weeks time in view of the party’s scheduled BJP bhagao, Desh bachao (oust BJP, save country) mega rally on August 27.
Mr. Prasad’s younger son and the former state Deputy Chief Minister, Tejaswi Yadav, was the first to reach the Income-Tax department office at 10.30 a.m..
His mother and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi and Mr. Prasad’s eldest daughter Misa Bharti followed Tejaswi in the afternoon at 2 p.m. I-T department sources said they were summoned to record their statement in the alleged benami (proxy) property and disproportionate assets cases lodged against them. It was also said that a special I-T team from Delhi had flown-in to Patna to assist the local Investigative Officer of the department in the case and take the inquiry forward.
However, RJD sources told The Hindu that the family members of Lalu Prasad had received the I-T notice on August 18 but sought two weeks time in view of the party’s mega rally on August 27. “Two days after the rally they appeared before the I-T department today to record their statement…it’s a natural process”, said an RJD MLA close to Lalu’s family. Party sources said that Tej Pratap Yadav, elder son of Lalu Prasad, too was summoned but he did not appear citing “medical grounds”.
After a marathon questioning of seven hours, Tejaswi Yadav came out of the I-T office gate amid pell-mell of media persons, security men and a handful of supporters. He did not speak to the media. Grim faced, he drove straight to his residence 10, Circular Road. Rabri Devi and Misa Bharti came out after half-an hour. The I-T department had earlier questioned Ms Bharti and her husband Shailesh Kumar in this case in Delhi.
On May 16, the I-T had searched 22 places in and around Delhi in connection with alleged benami (proxy) property deals involving Lalu Prasad and his family members. The department had also attached about a dozen plots and buildings in Delhi and Bihar worth Rs 1,000 crore. The Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988, was comprehensively amended through the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amended Act, 2016 which came into effect on November 1, 2016.