No end in sight for Yadavs' troubles
The I-T department had recently charged six family members of the RJD chief under the new Anti-benami Assets Act.
New Delhi: Amidst the political turmoil in Bihar, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members are facing increased heat of Central investigative agencies — CBI, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the income tax — in several corruption cases by each passing day.
While the ED recently filed a chargesheet against Rajesh Agarwal, chartered accountant (CA) of Misa Bharti (MP daughter of RJD chief), in connection with Rs 8,000-crore money laundering case, the CBI, which recently registered a corruption case against Lalu Yadav and his family members for the alleged irregularities in awarding tenders for development, maintenance and operation of railway hotels at Ranchi and Puri to a private company, is preparing to start interrogation of the all accused from next week.
Sources in the Central probe agencies said, “The income-tax department will again initiate the process of attachment of assets of Ms Bharti, her husband Shailesh Kumar, Rabri Devi, son and bihar deputy CM Tejashwi and RJD chief’s other daughters — Chanda and Ragini — in connection with its investigation into the stringent benami assets case.” The I-T department had recently charged six family members of the RJD chief under the new Anti-benami Assets Act in connection with its probe into alleged land deals worth Rs 1,000 crore and tax evasion.
It is also believed that the ED is planning to attach the assets of Misa and her husband as part of its investigation into Rs 8,000-crore money laundering case. “Investigation by the agency has revealed that Misa’s CA is associated with some transactions involving two private firms Ms Mishail Packers and Printers Private Limited. The firm Mishail is allegedly linked to Misa,” sources said.
For the last three months, Bihar BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Modi has been alleging that the Yadav clan acquired benaami land and properties worth Rs 950 crore over the last decade, a charge Lalu had dismissed many times.
Most of the charges against Lalu and his family are either from the time when the RJD chief was the Union railway minister (2004-2009) or when his wife Rabri Devi was the chief minister of Bihar (1997-2005, with brief interruptions).
The CBI claimed that in a faulty tendering process, Lalu handed over the contract for the maintenance of two railway-run hotels to a private company, in lieu of which his son Tejashwi received ownership of a prime property, worth several crores in Patna.
Caught in deep mess
May 8 2017: The Supreme Court reinstates criminal conspiracy charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav in fodder scam.
June 20: The I-T department charged the RJD chief, his wife Rabri Devi, his daughter Misa Bharti, son-in-law Shailesh Kumar and son Tejashwi under the Benami Transactions Act 1988.
July 7: CBI registered a corruption case against Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi for alleged irregularities during his tenure as Union railway minister in 2006.
July 11: RJD MP Misa Bharti appeared before the ED here in connection with the probe in a Rs 8,000 crore money laundering case. Her husband was also questioned by the ED.