NEW DELHI: The
Enforcement Directorate
on Monday grilled RJD chief Lalu Prasad for nearly 10 hours in connection with
money laundering probe
into the alleged
land-for-jobs scam
. The RJD supremo, accompanied by his daughter
Misa Bharti
, reached the ED office in Patna around 11.05 am and left at around 9pm.
Lalu's daughter Misa Bharti hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Centre saying that the actions by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against her father reflect that the central government is 'afraid' of the RJD chief. "He (Lalu) cannot eat himself, someone will have to feed him. We do not know whether he has eaten or not. No ED official is ready to speak ... Since elections are near, PM is scared and will do such things only. This government can (arrest) my father also, but what will they get by arresting a sick man," Misa said.
The alleged scam occurred when Lalu Yadav was railway minister between 2004 and 2009. In lieu of getting them appointed in the Railways, Lalu Prasad 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. The CBI is probing the allegations of taking land for a bribe in lieu of a job in the Railways. At the same time, ED is investigating the case of money laundering.
The ED has alleged that a former employee at the 'gaushala' of Rabri Devi acquired a property from a railway job aspirant and later transferred it to the ex-Bihar chief minister's daughter Hema Yadav.
In the chargesheet, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also named Amit Katyal (49), an alleged "close associate" of Lalu Prasad and his family members, Hridayanand Chaudhary, an alleged beneficiary of the scam and the former 'gaushala' employee, and two firms -- A K Infosystems Pvt. Ltd. and A B Exports Pvt. Ltd. -- through their common director Shariqul Bari.
The Delhi court took cognisance of the chargesheet last week and issued notices to the accused to appear before it on February 9 for commencement of trial against them under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Katyal was arrested by the ED in November last year for "knowingly assisting Lalu Prasad and his family in money laundering". He is currently lodged in a jail under judicial custody.
(With inputs from agencies)
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