The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has unveiled a scam worth Rs. 600 crores in the case of land in exchange for jobs. The investigation revealed that plots worth Rs. 350 crores and transactions worth Rs. 250 crores had taken place. As a result, raids were conducted at 24 locations, and cash worth one crore was found.
According to the ED, the current market value of the land that Lalu Yadav’s family allegedly acquired in exchange for jobs when he was the Railway Minister is around Rs. 200 crores.
The central agency also provided a lengthy list of other assets that it claimed Mr. Yadav’s family acquired in the Bihar land-for-jobs scam.
“The PMLA investigation conducted so far has revealed that several pieces of land at prominent locations in Patna and other areas were illegally acquired by the family of the then railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in lieu of jobs provided in railways,” the ED said in a statement.
“The current market value of these land parcels is more than Rs. 200 crores. In this regard, several benamidars, shell entities, and beneficial owners of these lands have been identified,” the ED added.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also summoned Mr. Yadav’s son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav for questioning in the land-for-jobs scam.
However, Tejashwi Yadav has dismissed the allegations, accusing the BJP government of spreading rumors and planting news. He has challenged the government to release the “seizure list” that contains all names.
The ED’s searches at 24 locations in Delhi-National Capital Region, Patna, Mumbai, and Ranchi led to the recovery of unaccounted cash worth Rs. 1 crore, foreign currency worth $1,900, 540-gram gold bullion, over 1.5 kg of gold jewelry worth Rs. 1.25 crore, and property documents in the name of Mr. Yadav’s family members.
The ED’s investigation is ongoing, and more information is likely to emerge as the case progresses. The Bihar land-for-jobs scam has caused significant controversy, with many demanding a thorough investigation into the matter.
The government has assured the public that it is committed to bringing the guilty parties to justice and putting an end to corruption in all its forms.
It is worth noting that this is not the first corruption case involving Lalu Yadav and his family. In fact, the former Bihar Chief Minister and his kin have been embroiled in several high-profile corruption cases over the years.
One such case involved the fodder scam, in which Lalu Yadav was found guilty of embezzling over Rs. 900 crores from the state treasury during his tenure as the Chief Minister of Bihar. He was sentenced to five years in prison in 2013 and was subsequently barred from contesting elections.
Another case involved the disproportionate assets of Lalu Yadav and his family members, which were found to be worth several crores of rupees more than their known sources of income.
The Income Tax department had conducted raids at several locations owned by the family in 2017, which resulted in the seizure of cash, jewelry, and other valuables worth crores of rupees.
The recent land-for-jobs scam is yet another instance of corruption allegations against Lalu Yadav and his family. The ED’s investigation into the matter is ongoing, and it remains to be seen what further revelations will come to light.
These repeated instances of corruption allegations and convictions have damaged the reputation of Lalu Yadav and his family and have also led to widespread public outrage.
Many have called for stricter action against corrupt politicians and public officials, and for greater accountability and transparency in government dealings.
