An Enforcement Directorate (ED) team questioned RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav at its Patna office for over three hours on Wednesday in connection with a money laundering case related to the alleged land-for-jobs scam during his tenure as railway minister from 2005 to 2009.
Lalu appeared calm and composed throughout the interrogation, reportedly having sattu (roasted gram powder) for lunch as ED officials grilled him with questions.
The ED has already filed a chargesheet in the case. Last year, Lalu, his youngest son Tejashwi Pratap Yadav,
Sources revealed that the ED questioned Lalu a day after summoning his wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi and their elder son Tej Pratap Yadav, following fresh leads about new properties allegedly acquired by the family in exchange for granting Grade IV railway jobs.
During the interrogation, ED officials questioned Lalu about several land transactions involving close associates and family members. Queries included the sale of land by Hridyanand Chaudhary, a former employee of Rabri Devi, to Lalu’s daughter Hema Yadav through a gift deed, and below-market sales to Rabri Devi from individuals whose family members later received railway jobs.
Officials also sought explanations on how certain individuals received jobs after land deals with the family, including Kiran Devi, who sold a large land parcel to Lalu’s daughter Misa Bharti for a nominal amount, and whose son was subsequently appointed to Central Railway, Mumbai.
The ED team questioned Lalu about meetings with officials who secured railway jobs after interacting with him and Rabri Devi, as well as about land deals involving Rabri Devi made at suspiciously low prices.
It is alleged that a company named A K Infosystems was used to purchase land parcels from jobseekers, with shares later transferred to Lalu’s family at a fraction of the market value. The ED contends this shell company was a vehicle to conceal illicit proceeds.
Other named accused include Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, Hema Yadav, A K Infosystems, AB Exports Pvt Ltd (ABEPL), Hridyanand Chaudhary, and Amit Katyal, the director of A K Infosystems, who was arrested last year.
The ED also alleged that Rabri Devi benefited from the proceeds and aided in transferring funds to Tejashwi Yadav, which were reportedly used to build property in Delhi’s Friends Colony.
