'People are watching': Rabri Devi after CBI raids on RJD leaders' residence in land for jobs scam

Patna: Former Chief Minister of Bihar Rabri Devi lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the CBI raid at the residences of RJD leaders in connection with the "land for jobs" scam. The RJD leader told reporters, "They (BJP) are scared as a new government has been formed under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. All parties are with us except BJP. We have the majority here in the state and we will not be scared, because this is not the first time that is happening." 

Rabri Devi, whose own residence in Patna was raided by the central agency in connection with the case a few months ago, said, "The people are watching and they can understand what is behind these raids."

#WATCH | Patna: Ex-Bihar CM & RJD leader Rabri Devi says, "They're scared. A new Govt has been formed under leadership of Nitish Kumar. All parties, except BJP, with us. We've the majority. CBI (raid) just to scare us. We won't be scared. This isn't happening for the first time." pic.twitter.com/82oVbOGu1e — ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2022

The case in which searches are being conducted was registered on May 18 against RJD supremo Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, and daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav, in addition to 12 people who were reportedly given jobs in Railway zones of Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur, Hajipur in 2008-09.

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The central agency had registered a preliminary enquiry on September 23, 2021 related to the land-for-jobs scam in Railways. The candidates were allegedly appointed as substitutes in group D positions within three days of applying in "undue haste" by Railway officials and were later regularised "in lieu thereof the individuals themselves or their family members transferred their land," according to the agency.

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The transfers were made through three sale deeds in the name of Rabri Devi and one in the name of Misa Bharti and two gift deeds in the name of Hema Yadav, the agency alleged, adding that land measuring about 1.05 lakh square feet in Patna was acquired by Prasad's family members by making payments to the sellers in cash.

The CBI raids commenced barely a few hours before the new government was to prove its majority on the floor of the state assembly. The raids by CBI were conducted at the properties linked to RJD MLC Sunil Singh and three MPs Ashfaque Karim, Faiyaz Ahmed and Subodh Roy. The ruling 'Mahagathbandhan' in Bihar cried foul over raids conducted at a number of premises owned by leaders of the RJD, the largest constituent of the seven-party coalition.

Raids were taking place at the residences of party MLC Sunil Singh, a close aide, besides Rajya Sabha MPs Ashfaq Karim and Faiyaz Ahmed and former MLC Subodh Rai.

Singh screamed before reporters from the balcony of his Rajbanshi Nagar apartment, "It is clearly an intimidatory tactics. Why else is the raid being conducted today? We cannot even see the local police, who normally accompany CBI officials during raids."

Singh is also the Chairman of Bihar State Cooperative Union (BISCOMAUN) and a team of CBI officials was at his office near Gandhi Maidan, about five kilometres away, as well.

BJP leaders, however, saw it as a comeuppance for Kumar, their former ally, who not only turned his back on them but also allied with "corrupt" parties like the RJD and the Congress. "It is the RJD which is sitting on a heap of wealth and therefore its leaders are facing the heat. Nitish Kumar not only betrayed the mandate given to NDA for ruling Bihar but also tied up with the corrupt," PTI quoted BJP leader and former minister Pramod Kumar as saying.

Notably, the CBI carried out searches at 25 locations, including at an under-construction mall in Gurugram believed to being built by a firm owned by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs scam.

The searches are being carried out in Delhi, Gurugram, Patna, Madhubani, Katihar among others. The under-construction Urban Cubes mall in sector 71 of Gurugram is being constructed by a company Whiteland in which Yadav's family has a stake in ownership, the officials told PTI. The 'Mahagathbandhan', which comprises Bihar chief minister's JD(U), besides RJD, Congress, CPI(ML), CPI and CPI(M), has a combined strength of more than 160 in the 243-strong House. 

(With ANI/PTI Inputs)