Land-for-jobs scam: Tejashwi assures to join CBI investigation on March 25; CBI says no endeavour to arrest him

New Delhi [India], March 16 (ANI): Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday assured the Delhi High Court that he will join the CBI investigation on March 25 for questioning in connection with the land-for-jobs scam case.

Yadav’s lawyer assured the court after noting the submissions of CBI that “at this point of time, there is no endeavour to arrest him”
During arguments on Thursday before Delhi High Court, senior advocate Maninder Singh appeared for Tejashwi Yadav and submitted that CBI has been calling him while the budget session is underway.

“I can appear through Video Conferencing. I am constantly telling them that I am a resident of Bihar. I m been served with three summons by the agency in just a few days,” Singh said representing Yadav.

CBI advocate DP Singh said, “The budget session is not on Saturday. He (Tejashwi Yadav) was in Delhi during the first summon but he refused to join the investigation. We need his appearance before us as there are documents to be shown,” add a CBI lawyer.

The bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma on Thursday after noting the submissions of both sides disposed of the matter and granted liberty to the petitioner to re-approach the court if any grievance occurs in the future in this regard.

Tejashwi had submitted that notice under section 160 of the CrPC can only be issued to a person, who is situated within the local jurisdiction of that police station or is within the adjoining police station. Therefore, the Impugned Notices have been issued in gross violation of the provisions of the CrPC more particularly the provision stipulated in Section 160 of the CrPC.

However, the petitioner has received the above-mentioned Impugned Notices from the Respondent, requiring him to appear in New Delhi. The same is, however, in disregard of the law, the Yadav’s lawyer said.

Tejashwi Yadav through plea also prayed that directions be issued to the CBI that whenever Yadav is interrogated in the present FIR, he is allowed the presence of his advocate(s) at a visible but not audible distance, as per the law laid down by the Supreme Court of India.

He also said the petitioner (Tejashwi Yadav) is duty-bound to render full cooperation and assistance in the ongoing investigation.

Tejashwi Yadav also sought the issuance of direction, especially in the nature of mandamus for quashing of summons dated February 28, 2023, March 4, 2023, and March 11, 2023, issued by the CBI for appearance before the New Delhi branch of CBI.

The Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday granted regular bail to ex-Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, ex-Bihar CM Rabri Devi, their daughter-RJD MP Misa Bharti and other accused in Land for Job alleged scam case.

Special Judge Geetanjali Goel on Wednesday while granting regular bail to all accused in the case noted that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had not arrested any accused in the case and the chargesheet was filed without arresting.

The CBI in its first chargesheet filed in connection with the alleged land-for-job scam stated that irregular appointments of candidates were made in Central Railway, violating the laid down norms and procedures of Indian Railways for recruitment.

As a quid-pro-quo, the candidates directly or through their immediate relatives/family members, sold land to the family members of Lalu Prasad Yadav (then Union Railway Minister) at highly discounted rates up to 1/4th to 1/5th of the prevailing market rates, stated CBI.

CBI further stated that investigation has revealed that Lalu Prasad Yadav during the period 2007-08 when he was Union Minister of Railways, with the intent to acquire the land parcels situated in Vill- Mahuabagh, Patna and Vill-Kunjwa, Patna which were situated adjacent to the land parcels already owned by his family members; entered into a criminal conspiracy with his wife Rabri Devi, daughter Misha Bharati, Officers of Central Railways namely Sowmya Raghvan the then General Manager, Kamal Deep Mainrai, the then Chief Personnel Officer, and residents of Vill-Mahjabagh, Patna and Vill-Bindaul, Bihta, Patna and Patna City namely Raj Kumar Singh, Mithlesh Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Dharmendra Kumar, Vikas Kumar, Abhishek Kumar, Ravindra Ray, Kiran Devi, Akhileshwar Singh, Ramashish Singh.

According to the CBI, all the candidates after their engagement as substitutes were subsequently regularized.

In lieu of getting them appointed in Railways, Lalu Prasad Yadav got the lands transferred owned by candidates and their family members in the names of his wife Rabri Devi and Misha Bharti for sale consideration which was much lesser than the prevailing circle rates as well as the prevailing market rates.