Bihar: RJD's Tejashwi Yadav arrives at ED office for questioning in connection with 'land-for-jobs' scam probe

Former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav arrives at the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) office for questioning in the alleged land-for-jobs scam, in Patna on Tuesday. Pic/PTI

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday arrived at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office here for questioning in connection with the agency's money laundering probe into the alleged land-for-jobs scam, news wire PTI reported.

The former Bihar deputy chief minister reached the ED office around 11.35 in the morning, it said. Tejashwi Yadav reached the ED office amid heavy security deployment and a large number of RJD members and supporters who raised slogans in support of Tejashwi Yadav.

ANI reported that, earlier in the day, a PMLA court issued notices against Amit Katyal, Rabri Devi, Misha Bharti, Hema Yadav, and Hridyanand Chaudhary to be present on February 9, 2024, for further trial in the alleged 'land for job scam', the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) stated in a release.

Tejaswi's father and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad was questioned by sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate for over nine hours on Monday in connection with the same case. The central probe agency had on January 19 issued fresh summons for questioning Prasad and his son Tejashwi Yadav.

The ED had filed a prosecution complaint (PC) on January 1, 2024, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, against Amit Katyal, Rabri Devi, Misha Bharti, Hema Yadav, Hridyanand Chaudhary and two companies--A K Infosystems Private Limited, A B Exports Pvt. Ltd.--before the Special Court (PMLA), New Delhi, in the alleged scam. It is alleged that businessman Amit Katyal has ties to former Bihar chief minister and RJD patriarch Lalu Yadav's family members.

The central agency initiated investigations based on an FIR registered by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) related to land for job scam alleging that Lalu Yadav allowed the corruption for the appointment of Group D substitutes in Indian Railways during the period 2004-2009. Yadav was then Railway Minister of India then.

The CBI also filed a charge sheet in the case. As per the FIR, candidates were told to transfer land as a bribe in return for jobs in Indian Railways.

The ED also conducted search operations on March 10, 2023, resulting in the seizure of cash of approximately Rs 1 crore and valuables estimated at about Rs 1.25 crore. The ED also provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs 6.02 crore on July 29, last year.

The agency arrested Amit Katyal on November 11, 2023 for knowingly assisting Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family in money laundering. Amit Katyal is in judicial custody as on today, ANI report said.

(With agencies inputs)