RJD MP Manoj Jha attacks BJP after CBI summons Tejashwi

Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) summons to Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha on Saturday said the party would receive the same treatment once it becomes the opposition. He also criticized the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) action against RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family in the alleged land-for-jobs case.

• Jha's reaction came a day after the ED raided numerous locations on Friday as part of its probe into the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) land-for-jobs scam, which allegedly took place during 2004-09.
• On Tuesday, the CBI quizzed Lalu Prasad Yadav in the case in Delhi, just a day after interrogating his wife, former Bihar CM Rabri Devi, at her Patna residence.

RJD MP Jha claimed that the ED raids on property owned by Lalu and his family went on till midnight, even when Bihar Deputy CM Yadav's wife, Rajashree Yadav, in Delhi was in a critical pregnancy phase. "The Modi government should arrest the entire Opposition in one go. Make India opposition mukt (free)," Jha was quoted as saying by the news outlet India Today.

While accusing the BJP of fighting a political battle using central probe agencies, Jha claimed, "Central agencies have been made bonded laborers." "Tejashwi didn't skip the last summons, and he would go as per his schedule. Our supporters are angry. Lalu Ji and Tejashwi have kept our workers under control right now," the RJD MP added.

On Friday, Jha told the news outlet Economic Times that the saffron party tarnished the reputation of the ED and CBI. "Now, when someone says that these institutions are investigating certain parties or leaders, it becomes evident that they are working on the script given by the BJP... I would suggest to BJP to fight politically and not hide behind the agencies," he said.

Earlier on Saturday, Yadav informed the CBI that he would not be able to visit its headquarters in Delhi for the questioning as he was at the hospital with his pregnant wife. This was the second time the Bihar deputy CM was issued a summons by the probe agency in the alleged land-for-jobs scam case, with the first being issued on March 4.

The ED reportedly raided the residence of Yadav in Delhi in the alleged land-for-jobs case on Friday. As per the news agency ANI, the probe agency team left Yadav's house after questioning the Bihar deputy CM for over 11 hours. Reports also said that raids were conducted at over 15 locations across Delhi, Mumbai, Bihar, and the National Capital Region (NCR).

According to the CBI chargesheet filed in October 2022, the probe agency alleged that the accused—in conspiracy with the then Central Railway general manager and chief personnel officer—appointed people as substitutes in exchange for land in their or their relatives' names. The alleged scam, which reportedly involves 14 people, including Lalu, Devi, and their daughters, allegedly happened while Lalu was the Union railways minister.