ED grills Lalu Prasad Yadav for 10 hours in 'land-for-jobs' scam

Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with the central agency's money laundering probe into the alleged land-for-jobs scam.

Patna: After being questioned for 10 hours by the Enforcement Directorate in the land-for-jobs scam on Monday, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) national president and former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav came out of the agency office at 9 pm. The RJD supremo, accompanied by his daughter Misa Bharti, reached the ED office at 11 am. Misa Bharti had reached the ED office with food and medicines from home for her father.

Due to a huge crowd of RJD supporters outside the ED office, a battalion of CRPF was deployed and security was increased at the spot. "Whenever any agency calls our family members for questioning, we go there, cooperate with them and answer all their queries," Misa Bharti said.

Meanwhile, party leader Ranvijay Sahu accused the Central government of misusing central agencies. He also said that the leaders, who fight for equal justice, are being harassed. Ranvijay Sahu said, "The leaders of the entire country, who fight for equal justice are being harassed. Not only Bihar, but also the entire country is angry. People will teach a befitting lesson to the BJP in the 2024 elections."

Prasad's Singapore-based daughter Rohini Achaya claimed that even after repeated requests by her sister Bharti, ED officials did not allow any assistant of the RJD chief to enter the central agency's office to accompany him. "Everyone knows about the health condition of my father. He can't even walk without support. Despite that ED officials did not allow any assistant to enter their office and accompany him. It's inhuman behaviour by ED officials...shame on you (ED officials) and your boss (top ED officials)," Acharya wrote on X in Hindi.

According to ED sources, a team of its officials from Delhi reached Patna on Sunday to question the RJD leader in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs scam. The central agency had on January 19 issued a fresh summons for questioning Lalu and his son Tejashwi Yadav in connection with the case.

The summons notice was handed over by ED to Prasad's wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi. Both were asked to appear before the ED officials on January 29 and 30 respectively. (With PTI inputs)