Land-For-Jobs Case: ED summons Lalu Yadav & Son Tejashwi

Patna: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav, the current deputy CM, in the land-for-jobs case. Tejashwi has been summoned on Friday and Lalu asked to appear on December 27.

The land-for-jobs scam is also being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The central agencies have alleged that, during Lalu’s tenure as Union Railway minister (2009-2014) in the UPA government, favoured candidates were appointed in the Railways in violation of existing rules and norms, without any advertisement or public notice. In return, the candidates allegedly sold land to some members of the Yadav family at highly discounted rates.

After the CBI had filed its second chargesheet in the case, a Delhi court granted bail to Lalu, his wife and former CM Rabri Devi, and Tejashwi in October.

Lalu is the chief of Rashtriya Janata Dal, which is in power in Bihar as part of a coalition government also consisting of CM Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), Congress and Left parties.

A vocal partner of the Opposition INDIA bloc, Lalu and other leaders have been alleging that the Narendra Modi government is misusing central agencies to target rival parties.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal was questioned by CBI and twice summoned by ED in the Delhi liquor policy case. Several Trinamool Congress (TMC) ministers and leaders, including national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, are either jailed or facing questions in multiple cases like WB School Service Commission, coal scam and mone-laundering.