₹70 Lakh Cash, 1.5 Kg Gold Jewellery Found During Raids On Tejashwi Yadav, Sisters
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recovered ₹70 lakh cash, 1.5 kg gold jewellery, 540 grams of gold bullion and foreign currency, including 900 US dollars, from the premises of Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughters and son Tejashwi Yadav during its raids on Friday in connection with a money laundering probe in an alleged ‘land-for-jobs’ case.
The ED had raided 24 locations in the national capital region (NCR), Patna, Ranchi and Mumbai, including the Bihar deputy chief minister’s residence in Delhi. Raids were carried out on Friday at the homes of three of Lalu’s daughters Ragini, Chanda and Hema Yadav, and former RJD MLA Abu Dojana, who is considered close to Lalu. The central agency also searched the residence of Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Jitendra Yadav in Ghaziabad. Jitendra Yadav is married to Ragini.
People familiar with the ED probe also said the residence in New Friends Colony in Delhi raided on Friday, where Tejashwi was present, is registered in the name of AK Infosystems Pvt Ltd, an accused company in the case. One of the land transfers by bribe givers who got jobs in the railways was done to AK Infosystems, according to the allegations.
“This means Tejashwi Yadav or Lalu Yadav’s family is using a residence registered in the name of the accused company,” said an officer who didn’t want to be named.
The ED probe has revealed that four land parcels were sold to Meridian Construction, owned by former RJD MLA Abu Dojana, said the officer.
The ED raids came after questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of Lalu’s wife Rabri Devi in Patna on Monday, and the former Union minister Lalu in Delhi on Tuesday in relation to the same case.
On Saturday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) summoned Tejashwi to appear for questioning in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs scam. Yadav was earlier called for questioning on March 4 but he had not appeared before the CBI sleuths, following which a fresh date was given for Saturday.