Tej Pratap turned landowner through unexplained gift at age 3, says Sushil Modi

PATNA The elder son of Lalu Prasad and Bihar health minister Tej Pratap Yadav, turned a landowner by age 3, if opposition leader Sushil Kumar Modi is to be believed.

Modi, who has been hammer and tongs at Lalu & family for the last three months dropped yet another bombshell on Tuesday, claiming Tej Pratap received 13 acres and 12 decimals of land in gift from former RJD leader Rama Devi. He was just three years and eight moths old at the time.

Rama Devi is presently the BJP MP from Sheohar Lok Sabha constituency. 

Talking to newsmen on the sidelines of his “Janata Durbar” here, Modi said Rama Devi, who is the widow of former minister in the RJD regime, late Braj Bihar Prasad, had gifted two plots of land measuring 13 acres and 12 decimals located at Kishunpur village in Madhuban area of Muzaffarpur district to Tej on March 23, 1992. 

Quoting details of the gift deed, Modi said, “The document states that Tej Pratap was dear to Rama Devi, whom she loved too much. And though Tej Pratap was a minor, he used to take care of her happiness. He also served her as could be possible for him. In lieu of his service, Devi decided to gift the property to him in her lifetime”, said Modi, referring to wordings of the deed. 

Modi, who was deputy chief minister in chief minister Nitish Kumar-led NDA government earlier, wondered as to what service Lalu’s toddler could have provided to Rama Devi for which she was moved to gift him such a vast tract of land.

The BJP leader, however, said he had no information about the present status of the said land. “I could only find out that a road adjacent to the land has been christened as ‘Lalu Road’,” he added. 

Recalling his earlier exposes on such other gifts made over to members of the Lalu family, he alleged that it was a modus operandi of the RJD president to receive gifts of immovable properties from various political leaders and other persons in lieu of largesse he used to provide to them by way of seats, ministerships, pelf and power. “Why is it that political leaders shower precious gifts only on the members of the Lalu family?” he asked. 

He reiterated his demand for a thorough probe into all the land deals involving the Lalu family.

“The investigating agencies should focus on all such deals sealed during the tenure of Lalu Prasad as railway minister,” he said. 

“Prasad should be asked to explain under what circumstances Rama Devi gifted land to his eldest son, when he was mere a small child,” he said. 

Attacking chief minister Nitish Kumar, Modi said it was high time that the CM should reconsider his relationship with a person, who was involved in murky land deals. “How long would he continue to run the government in association with such persons,” he asked. 

When asked whether the BJP leadership would take action against party MP Rama Devi for gifting the land to Tej Pratap Yadav, Modi dismissed the question, saying the incident happened many years ago, when she was not in BJP. “Also, she might have done it under some compulsion,” he quipped. 

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HAMMER & TONGS BJP leader seeks thorough probe into the land transaction; but says no action against party MP Rama Devi, as she might have done it under some compulsion

QUOTE

Document states that Tej Pratap was dear to Rama Devi, and though he was minor, he used to take care of her happiness. In lieu of his service, Devi decided to gift the property to him

Sushil Kr Modi, senior BJP leader