Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Claims Political Targeting In Land-For-Jobs Case Involving His Mother

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav has attributed his mother Rabri Devi's questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the land-for-jobs case to political developments in the country, including the recent defeat of the BJP in Karnataka and the upcoming state election next year. According to NDTV, Tejashwi Yadav expressed confidence that Bihar was being targeted due to fears arising from these shifts and stated that he himself may be implicated in the case in the future, but remains undeterred, claiming innocence.

Rabri Devi, former Bihar Chief Minister and wife of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Yadav, was questioned by the ED in Delhi for approximately five hours as part of the money laundering case related to the alleged land-for-jobs scam. The agency recorded her statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Notably, the ED has previously questioned Rabri Devi's children, including Tejashwi Yadav, in connection with the case.

The ED had earlier claimed to have seized unaccounted cash and detected proceeds of crime worth crores of rupees during searches conducted in March. The alleged scam dates back to Lalu Yadav's tenure as railway minister in the early 2000s, and the money laundering case stems from a CBI FIR. According to the agencies, individuals were appointed to junior positions in various railway zones between 2004 and 2009, allegedly in exchange for transferring their land at significantly discounted rates to Lalu Yadav's family members.

Tejashwi Yadav has consistently denied these allegations, stating that his father did not possess the authority to offer employment in return for favors.