Land for jobs case: Lalu Prasad Yadav appears before ED for questioning in Patna

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav reached the Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s office in Patna on Monday morning for questioning in the land-for-job case.

The federal agency had issued summons to Lalu Prasad on January 19 after he failed to appear on earlier dates.

Lalu was accompanied by his elder daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Misa Bharti at the ED office around 11am.

A large number of RJD supporters had gathered at the ED office ahead of Lalu’s questioning.

Lalu’s daughter Misa hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government over the ED summons.

Also Read: A history of scams: Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family, now in ED’s crosshairs

“This is nothing new. Whenever they (central government) want, they send us a summon. Now, not just our family, but they are also sending summons to all those who are in opposition,” Misa said.

The ED had earlier visited Rabri Devi’s official residence to hand over a fresh summon against former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav and his father Lalu Prasad for appearance in the case, asking them to appear on January 29.

The summons was served personally to them at their residence to appear for questioning at its Patna office.

Tejashwi was earlier called to appear on December 22 and later asking him to appear on January 5, but the RJD leader skipped the summons calling the ED notice a routine affair.

The RJD chief was asked to depose on December 27 at ED headquarters in New Delhi which he skipped too.

The case, first lodged by the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation), relates to allegations that during his stint as railway minister from 2004-09, Lalu Prasad gave away railway jobs in lieu of plots of land either gifted or sold at throwaway prices by the beneficiaries to his family members.

Besides Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri and daughters Misa and Hema Yadav are also named in the CBI FIR among other 12 accused.

The ED had, in March 2023, conducted searches at the premises linked to Lalu Prasad and his family members.