Patna: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday conducted raids at residences of RJD law makers and close aides of former Railway minister Lalu Prasad in Bhojpur district in connection with its probe into the IRCTC land-for-job case.
A team of CBI officials reached Sandesh block, a native place of Agiao RJD MLA Kiran Yadav, this morning and launched a search which is still on.
“Raids are being conducted at RJD Rajya Sabha MP Prem Chandra Gupta’s residences in Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Patna, Bhojpur and Ara in Bihar. Search is also going on at the places of former RJD MLA Arun Yadav, and RJD MLA Kiran Devi in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs scam,” CBI said.
Kiran's husband Arun Yadav, also a former RJD MLA from Sandesh Assembly constituency, is a known sand trader.
Besides Sandesh, simultaneous raids are also taking place at the house of Arun Yadav in Bhojpur's district headquarter Arrah.
Raids are also on at the Delhi and Noida premises of former minister Prem Gupta who is very close to Lalu Prasad.
In March, the probe agency quizzed Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, Tejashwi yadav, Chanda Yadav, Ragini Yadav and other members of the family and registered an FIR against them in IRCTC land for job scam.
The scam took place during the second tenure of Manmohan Singh government between 2004 to 2009 when Lalu Prasad was the union railway minister.
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 lesser 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.
At the same time, ED is investigating the case of money laundering. The CBI also filed a chargesheet in this case.