Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav finally appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday, after skipping three previous dates for interrogation in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs scam. Yadav, who is also the leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), arrived at the CBI headquarters in Delhi at around 10:30 am. He was escorted to the investigation team after the completion of the necessary formalities.
Quashing of summons
Yadav had sought the quashing of the summonses dated February 28, March 4, and March 11 that were issued against him. CBI's counsel DP Singh had told the court that the Assembly is not convened on Saturdays, and Yadav could appear before the agency on any Saturday in March according to his convenience.
The CBI had given an assurance to the Delhi High Court last week that it would not arrest Yadav this month. According to Yadav's counsel, he had conveyed to the federal agency that he would require some time to appear before its sleuths as the ongoing Bihar Assembly session is scheduled to conclude on April 5. Yadav's lawyer had also told the court that he would appear before the investigating officer at the CBI headquarters in Delhi on March 25.
CBI's investigation against Yadav family
The CBI's investigation against Yadav and his family is part of its ongoing probe into documents and evidence that surfaced after the first chargesheet was submitted, and also into the alleged roles of the accused that could not be completed by the time the initial report was filed, according to officials.
Officials said the fresh round of questioning of the accused is taking place as part of the "further investigation" based on fresh inputs gathered during the agency's ongoing probe. The CBI has alleged that during Yadav's father Lalu Prasad's tenure as the railway minister in the UPA government from 2004 to 2009, favorite candidates were appointed in the railways in violation of norms and procedures, without any advertisement or public notice. In return, the candidates allegedly sold land to Prasad's family members at highly-discounted rates.
Bail granted to Lalu Prasad and others
On March 15, a special CBI court granted bail to Yadav's father Lalu Prasad, mother Rabri Devi (both former Bihar chief ministers), sister Misa Bharti, and others in the land-for-jobs "scam" case.
