The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, along with his son Tej Pratap Yadav and wife Rabri Devi, for questioning in connection with the ongoing land-for-jobs money laundering investigation. Tej Pratap and Rabri Devi are expected to appear before the agency on Tuesday, while Lalu Prasad has been summoned for Wednesday in Patna.
This latest development follows a Delhi court’s summons for the same individuals, including their daughter Hema Yadav, related to the same case.
Rabri Devi is scheduled to meet with ED officials today at 10 am at their Patna office, where her statement will be recorded. Lalu Prasad Yadav’s questioning is planned for the next day.
The Rouse Avenue court has also issued a directive for Lalu’s younger son and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav to appear before them on March 11, in light of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) final chargesheet which named 78 individuals, including 30 government officials.
This case investigates allegations that between 2004 and 2009, during Lalu Prasad’s tenure as Union Railway Minister, land was acquired illegally at significantly discounted rates in exchange for appointing individuals to Group-D positions in the Indian Railways.
The CBI has accused the family, including Rabri Devi and daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav, of receiving land parcels at prices significantly lower than market value.
Last year, the ED filed a chargesheet in a Delhi court, listing Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, and Hema Yadav as accused, as part of their investigation into financial transactions linked to this alleged scam under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The inquiry into the alleged scam, which began in 2022, has prompted multiple charge sheets from both the CBI and the ED. President Droupadi Murmu approved Lalu Prasad Yadav’s prosecution in this matter last year.
Despite the summonses, there are reports suggesting that Lalu Prasad and his family may not comply with the ED’s requests for questioning.
In previous investigations, the ED interrogated Lalu Prasad for 10 hours on January 29, and Tejashwi Yadav was questioned for eight hours the following year on January 30.
