Former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav faced a marathon questioning session at the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) Patna office on Tuesday, lasting close to nine hours. The interrogation centered around the alleged land-for-jobs scam in the railways, a case that also involved his father and RJD chief, Lalu Prasad Yadav, who was questioned the previous day.
Tejashwi’s arrival at the ED office was marked by a sizable gathering of party supporters, chanting slogans against both the ED and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Notable party leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha, Misa Bharti, Tej Pratap Yadav, and various legislators, joined the demonstration outside the ED premises.
Political reactions to the questioning were predictably divided. RJD leaders, such as Manoj Jha, labeled it as “political vendetta at the election time,” attributing the probe to the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Home Minister Amit Shah. Jha cautioned that such actions could have repercussions once the election dynamics changed.
Contrarily, BJP state president Samrat Choudhary asserted that the investigation was related to an old corruption case involving both Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi. He emphasized the ED’s role in probing corruption cases, stating, “Laluji gulped down fodder when he was the CM and got land registered in lieu of jobs when he was railway minister.”
The ED’s investigation, conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), revealed the illegal acquisition of several valuable land parcels in Patna and other areas by the family of the then railway minister. The market value of these lands was estimated to exceed ₹200 crore. Additionally, the investigation uncovered suspicious transactions related to a property in New Friends Colony, Delhi, owned by Tejashwi Prasad and his family.
The ED suspected that funds from illegal activities had been used to purchase this property, with Mumbai-based entities in the gems and jewelry sector allegedly facilitating the transfer of ill-gotten proceeds. The investigation pointed out discrepancies in the declared use of the property, which was officially registered as the offices of two companies but was being exclusively used as Tejashwi Prasad’s residential premises.
Last week, the ED filed a Prosecution Complaint (PC) under PMLA against several individuals, including Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, and Tejashwi Prasad, along with two companies. The court has issued notices for further trial on February 9.
The ED’s relentless pursuit of the land-for-jobs scam unfolded as Tejashwi Yadav underwent more than eight hours of questioning, leaving the premises only after 8 pm. The probe, rooted in a CBI FIR related to corrupt practices during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure as Railway Minister, has intensified political tensions, with opposition leaders accusing the BJP of manipulating central probe agencies for political gains. The scrutiny of the Yadav family’s alleged involvement in the scandal continues to unfold against the backdrop of political drama and public demonstrations.