CBI questions former railway minister Lalu Prasad in 'land-for-jobs scam'

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) started questioning Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo and former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs scam on Tuesday, a day after his wife Rabri Devi was quizzed. The former Bihar chief minister was questioned by the agency at her residence in Patna for nearly five hours.
It has been alleged that people were given employment in the railways in return for plots gifted or sold at cheap rates to the minister's family and associates between 2004 and 2009., officials said.
According to the officials, a team of five CBI officials arrived in two cars at 10.40 am at the residence of his daughter, Rajya Sabha MP Misha Bharti, in Pandara Park in Delhi on Tuesday. Yadav is currently residing with his daughter following his recent kidney transplant. According to sources, his health is not good and he is not in a condition to speak, even as Lalu Yadav's family has said that they will cooperate in the investigation.
The CBI has already filed a charge sheet in the case against Yadav, Rabri Devi and 14 others including their daughter; then GM, Central Railways; then CPO and candidates under charges of criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The accused have been summoned by Delhi's Rouse Avenue District Courts on March 15, they said.
The CBI had furnished the prosecution sanction letter before the concerned court in January.
The CBI said the fresh round of questioning is taking place as part of "further investigation" to ascertain the money trail and larger conspiracy.
Meanwhile, the fresh questioning of an ailing Yadav, who was convicted in a fodder scam, and his wife has evoked sharp criticism from opposition parties.
Their son and Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav termed the CBI action a result of his family's "relentless opposition" to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"It is an open secret that probe agencies are acting against political opponents of the BJP and helping those who agree to align with that party," the RJD leader told reporters outside the Bihar Assembly on Monday.
Tejashwi Yadav said as the then railway minister, Lalu Prasad, had "no powers" to give employment in exchange for favours.
The Congress and the AAP targeted the central government for "suppressing" the voice of the Opposition.
"Today Rabri Devi ji is being harassed. Lalu Prasad ji and his family have been harassed for years because they did not bow down," Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted.
Independent MP Kapil Sibal too slammed the CBI.
"The CBI heat is on Lalu Prasad. We all know the fragile state of his health. To pressurise Tejashwi, the more the government does this, the more the people will turn against this government," Sibal said in a tweet.

Delhi chief minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal said targeting and harassing opposition leaders is wrong. He raised the issue of the CBI action against his former deputy Manish Sisodia who was arrested in excise policy scam case.
(With inputs from agencies)