‘Sinister attempts to kill…’: Cong slams Centre after ED raids on Tejashwi Yadav
1 min read . Updated: 11 Mar 2023, 05:48 AM IST
PremiumLand for jobs scam: Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids at the Delhi residence of Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav.
Soon after ED conducted searches in the premises of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav's family, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday accused the Narendra Modi government of making ‘sinister attempts to kill democracy’ by misusing probe agencies against Opposition leaders.
He slammed the Central government over the ED raids on Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav's Delhi residence in connection with a money laundering investigation into the land for jobs 'scam' case.
“In connection with a money laundering investigation into the land for jobs 'scam' case…his pregnant wife and sisters are being harassed. Lalu Prasad ji is old, ill, even then the Modi government did not show humanity towards him," Kharge tweeted in Hindi.
"Modi government is making a sinister attempt to kill democracy by misusing ED-CBI against opposition leaders," he alleged.
Where were the agencies of the Modi government when fugitives ran away from the country with crores, he asked.
"When the wealth of the 'best friend' touches the sky, why is there no investigation?" he said, apparently referring to industrialist Gautam Adani, who is alleged by Congress to be a close friend of Narendra Modi. "The people will give a befitting reply to this dictatorship!"
ED raids Tejashwi Yadav's house in land for jobs scam
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids at the Delhi residence of Yadav, and at multiple other locations in Delhi, the National Capital Region, and Bihar. The locations also included the premises of the former Railway Minister's three daughters and other RJD leaders.
The federal agency seized ₹53 lakh, USD 1,900, about 540 grams of gold and bullion, and 1.5 kg of gold jewelry, sources in the agency said. One of the locations searched was a house in south Delhi where Lalu Prasad's son, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, Tejashwi Yadav was present, they said.
Searches also covered premises linked to Lalu Prasad's daughters Ragini Yadav, Chanda Yadav, and Hema Yadav, former RJD MLA Syed Abu Dojana, Amit Katyal, Navdeep Sardana and Praveen Jain in places such as Patna, Phulwari Sharif, Delhi-NCR, Ranchi, and Mumbai, officials said.
Notably, Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi are the prime accused in the 'Lands for job' scam. The case is related to the bribe of land parcels given by the candidates in return of their job in the railways.
(With inputs from agencies)