Former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi was questioned by the CBI on Monday at her Patna residence in the land-for-job scam.
The CBI had earlier issued summons to Rabri Devi for questioning on allegations that her husband Lalu Prasad, a former Railway Minister, allegedly took parcels of land in the name of family members as bribes from persons whom he offered jobs of substitutes in Group-D positions in the Railways. Rabri Devi was one of the alleged beneficiaries of the scam. .
When asked why the CBI had landed at her house in Patna, Rabri Devi said, “This is nothing. This has been the case since the beginning...”. CBI sources indicated that they had received more information on the modus operandi of the scam during the course of the investigation. The sleuths are verifying complaints that Prasad had acquired more property than the agency was aware of in this scam. Prasad was Railway Minister between 2004 and 2009 during the UPA regime.
Probe agencies
The agency has also issued another notice to Lalu Yadav for questioning. But it’s not known when he would be questioned. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, who is son of Prasad, charged the CBI was unleashed on them due his family’s “relentless opposition” to the BJP. “It is an open secret that probe agencies are acting against political opponents of the BJP and helping those who agree to align with that party,” Tejashwi Yadav said outside the Bihar Assembly.
On October 7 last year, the CBI filed a chargesheet against former Bihar Chief Ministers Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi, their daughter Misa Bharti, and 13 others in the alleged land-for-job scam before a CBI court in Delhi.
“During the investigation, it has been found that the accused, in conspiracy with the then GM Central Railways and CPO, Central Railways, engaged persons as substitutes in lieu of land either in their name or in the name of their close relatives. The land was acquired at prices lower than the prevailing circle rate and much lower than the market rate. It was also alleged that the candidates have used false TCs and submitted false attested documents to the Ministry of Railways,” the CBI had earlier said.