New Delhi: Former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi reached the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office on Thursday for questioning in the land scam case in lieu of a job. Earlier, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had interrogated Rabri Devi and Rashtriya Janata Dal Chief and former Railway Minister Lalu Yadav together. Now the ED is recording the statement of Rabri Devi under the charge of money laundering.
The matter of land for a job is related to Lalu Yadav’s family. It is alleged that between 2004 and 2009, when Lalu Yadav was the Railway Minister, he was either gifted land or sold at a meagre price in lieu of a job in the Railways. In March, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) questioned RJD chief and former railway minister Lalu Prasad in the Land for Jobs case.
In October 2022, the CBI filed a charge sheet against 16 accused persons, including Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi, for criminal conspiracy and corruption offences. As per the charge sheet, a case was registered against Lalu Prasad and others following the result of the preliminary inquiry.
Special Judge Gitanjali Goel issued summonses to the accused on February 27 and directed them to appear before the court on March 15. On March 15, RJD chief Lalu Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, and daughter Misa Bharti were granted bail by a Delhi court in connection with the case.
The court noted that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the case, filed the chargesheet without arrest. It directed each accused to furnish a personal surety bond of Rs 50,000 and a surety of like amount.
