The CBI on Wednesday raided 25 premises in Delhi, Gurugram, Patna, Katihar and Madhubani following allegations that Lalu Prasad Yadav, during his stint as railway minister in UPA regime, gave Group D jobs to various persons from 2004 to 2009 in lieu of plots of land he received in his and his family members name.

Among the places searched is Whiteland Corporation Private Limited, located in Worldmark building in Sector 65 of Gurugram. CBI sources suspect that the former Bihar Chief Minister’s investment in the company has warrentedthe agency’s search. The raids took place after the CBI registered an FIR on May 18, naming Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, and daughters Misha Bharti and Hema Yadav among the 17 accused.

Taking a jibe at the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) for the CBI raids, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister, Tejashwi Yadav charged in the state assembly that the ruling party at the Centre unleashes agencies against Opposition leaders in the states when it fears political drubbing.

Tejashwi mocked the CBI, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax Department (IT) by calling them the three "jamai" (son-in-law) of the BJP. "When I go to foreign countries, BJP issues lookout notices against me and when fraudsters like Nirav Modi run away, they don't do anything," he told the Legislative Assembly.

The CBI in its FIR stated, "enquiry has revealed that some individuals although resident of Patna, Bihar were appointed as Substitutes in group D post during the period 2004-2009 in different zones of Railway located at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur, Hajipur and in lieu thereof, the individuals themselves or their family members transferred their land in the name of family members of Lalu Prasad Yadav, then Minister of Railway, and a company M/s AK Infosystems Private Limited".

Prior to the FIR, the agency has registered a preliminary enquiry after receiving information "unknown" public servants of railway did not follow the guidelines issued by the department for appointment of substitutes in group D post.