Land for Jobs scam case: ED questions Lalu Prasad for 9 hours; daughter Misa says ‘PM is scared’

PATNA (Bihar) : As Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for around nine hours in connection with the Land for Jobs scam case, his daughter Misa Bharti, hit out at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Centre, saying that the actions by the probe agency against his father reflects that the central government is ‘afraid’ of him.

A large number of RJD workers were present after the RJD supremo came out of the probe agency’s office in Patna.

“He (Lalu) cannot eat himself, someone will have to feed him. We do not know whether he has eaten or not. No ED official is ready to speak…Since elections are near, the PM is scared and will do such things only. This government can (arrest) my father also, but what will they get by arresting a sick man,” Misa said.

Earlier today, Lalu Yadav arrived at the office of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) here for questioning in connection with the alleged Land for Job scam.

A large number of RJD workers were present outside the office to protest the questioning of their party’s national president.

An RJD worker said that the Central government is harassing their leader in a bid to prevent them from making strategies for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

“These people do not have any other weapon. The government is harassing these people for the upcoming elections of 2024 so that they are not able to make strategies,” she said.”The more Lalu Yadav is being harassed, the stronger the workers are becoming. None of us is afraid,” the RJD supporter added.

Manoj Kumar Jha, RJD Rajya Sabha MP, has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of politically targeting its rivals using government agencies.

“This is not an ED summon, but a BJP summon. This will go on till 2024; until then, please do not call it ED summons. Why should we be scared?” Jha said.

The BJP, which on Sunday became part of the state government after Nitish Kumar switched sides, claimed that corruption was deep in the RJD.
“People of the country know that these (Lalu Yadav) are corrupt people. Corruption is a jewel for them. I want to urge Tejashwi Yadav to tell the youth of Bihar the system of how to become millionaires within one and a half years,” Bihar BJP unit chief and now state Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chowdhary said.

Former Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Yadav’s daughter Misa Bharti on Monday alleged that she was prevented from entering the office of the Enforcement Directorate along with her ailing father, who had undergone a kidney transplant surgery and can’t stand or sit on his own.

Misa Bharti accompanied her father when he appeared before the federal agency here in connection with the alleged Land for Job scam.

“I was not allowed to enter with my father”, Misa, surrounded by scores of RJD supporters, told reporters outside ED’s office.

“People across the country know that Lalu ji is not well, he has undergone a kidney transplant, he is suffering from many diseases, and the biggest one is the age factor,” Misa said after offering prayers at Shakti Dham Temple.

However, later, she said that she was allowed to give medicines to her father, Lalu.

Apart from Misa, Lalu’s other daughter, Rohini Acharya, too, alleged that her sister was not allowed to enter the ED’s office to accompany her father.
“Inhuman behaviour by Ed officers shame on you and your master. Everyone knows father’s condition, he can’t walk without support, yet they pushed him inside the gate without his help even after requesting it, he did not let him go, either Misa Di or one of his assistants..pls help me,” Rohini said in her social media post on X.

Lalu is being quizzed for his alleged involvement in the Land for Job scam.The alleged scam occurred when Lalu Yadav was Railway Minister between 2004 and 2009. Apart from the RJD national president, the chargesheet also includes the name of the then Railway General Manager.

In lieu of getting them appointed in the Railways, Lalu Prasad Yadav allegedly got lands transferred owned by candidates and their family members in the names of his wife Rabri Devi and daughter Misa Bharti for sale consideration, which was much less than the prevailing circle rates as well as the prevailing market rates.

The CBI filed the chargesheet in October last year against former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, their daughter Misa Bharti, and 13 others in the land-for-jobs scam.

According to the CBI, the people were first recruited as substitutes in Group D posts in the Railways and were regularised when their families made a land deal. The CBI is probing the allegations of taking land for a bribe in lieu of a job in the Railways.

At the same time, ED is investigating the case of money laundering.

The CBI also filed a chargesheet in this case. (ANI)