Thursday, Mar 20 2025 | Time 04:30 Hrs(IST)
States » EastPosted at: Mar 19 2025 11:44PM


Lalu appears before ED in land-for-job case

Patna, Mar 19 (UNI) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad Yadav was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at its zonal office in Patna on Wednesday in the land-for-job case.
The case relates to Group D appointments in the railways during 2004 to 2009, when Lalu Yadav was the railway minister.
The ED had earlier said in a statement that this money laundering case is based on a CBI complaint. According to the FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation, candidates were asked to transfer land as bribes in exchange for jobs in the railways.
The federal agency had interrogated former chief minister of Bihar Rabri Devi and her son, MLA Tej Pratap Yadav, in the same case on Tuesday.
Supporters of the former chief minister of Bihar and and party workers had gathered at the ED office in a large number much before Lalu Yadav reached there at 11 am with his daughter and MP Misa Bharti. They kept raising slogans in favour of their leader and condemning the NDA governments at the Centre as well as in the state for harassing their leader in a false case.
Lalu left the premises after spending about four hours, waving at his supporters quietly from inside his car. He did not take any questions from the journalists.
Commenting on the interrogation by the ED, Lalu Yadav’s heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav said the entire exercise is nothing but political vendetta. But it is not going to make any difference to his family.
“Soon after the Delhi elections, I had said that now all Central investigative agencies and IT cells of BJP will focus on Bihar. But it is not going to make any difference. We are law-abiding citizens. Whichever agency would summon, we will go. If I was not in politics, would there be a case against me,” he asked.
RJD’s Bihar spokesperson Ejaz Ahmed said that the Central agencies have become active at the behest of the Central government to prepare ground before the elections in Bihar. These agencies are serving the political interests of the double engine government. “Such an action is being taken to divert attention from the increasing crime and other burning issues in Bihar,” he contended.
In a statement posted on the social media platform ‘X’, Lalu Yadav’s daughter Rohini Acharya said that the sole purpose of repeated interrogation in the name of investigation is to harass the RJD Supremo unnecessarily. “What is the justification behind repeated summons to Lalu ji-Rabri Devi ji and other family members for interrogation? What is there to know that the ED-CBI has not been able to know even after repeated interrogations and years of investigation,” she asked.
She also warned that if anything untoward happens to Lalu Yadav due to the government-sponsored harassment, “there will be a nationwide retaliation, and the group of cowards will not be able to handle it”.
UNI GNK
Tags: #Lalu appears before ED in land-for-job case
More News

Bihar: Legislative Council Chairman asks govt to initiate for providing residence to MLAs & MLCs in Patna

20 Mar 2025 | 2:11 AM

Patna, Mar 19 (UNI) Bihar Legislative Council Chairman Awdhesh Narayan Singh on Wednesday asked the state government to take initiatives for providing residence to the MLAs and MLCs in Patna.

see more..

Introspect on benefits of SUMP: Arunachal Dy CM amidst China's 60,000 MW Dam plan

20 Mar 2025 | 2:02 AM

Itanagar, Mar 19 (UNI) Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein has emphasized the strategic significance of the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) over the Siang River, urging people to engage in discussions with the government with a positive mindset.

see more..

Bihar: Special ED court rejects Vipul Bansal's bail plea

20 Mar 2025 | 1:36 AM

Patna, Mar 19 (UNI) A special court of Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday rejected the regular bail petition of Vipul Bansal in Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case.

see more..

Manipur: Women's Commission reviews conditions of displaced persons

20 Mar 2025 | 1:33 AM

Imphal Mar 19 (UNI ) Manipur State Commission for Women (MSCW) and District Administration Thoubal reviewed the conditions of internally displaced persons (IDP) at DC Thoubal Office Complex , Thoubal district on Wednesday.

see more..

Odisha to open “Shishu Vatika” in all Primary Schools as envisaged in NEP 2020

20 Mar 2025 | 12:44 AM

Bhubaneswar, Mar 19 (UNI) The Odisha government will establish “Shishu Vatika” in all primary schools to provide pre-school education for children aged five and above, as envisioned in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

see more..