"Bound to happen": Tej Pratap Yadav after CBI names his family members in chargesheet in land-for-job scam

Patna (Bihar) [India], July 4 : Bihar minister Tej Pratap Yadav on Tuesday said that the actions against his family members including Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav in connection with alleged land-for-job scam were "bound to happen".

"All these tactics are being used by people of BJP-RSS. They can see that the Mahagathbandhan is intact so this was bound to happen. They are disheartened because the downfall of BJP has begun," Tej Pratap Yadav, son of former Chief Minister of Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav.

In a major setback for the RJD, the CBI on Monday filed the chargesheet against RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, his parents and former chief ministers Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi along with others in the land-for-jobs scam.

However, speaking on the CBI action against the Yadav family, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawala called it "reverse Robinhood".

"This is reverse Robinhood. Robinhood used to loot the rich and provide for the poor. But in reverse Robinhood, the first family of corruption loots the poor, acquires their land and fills its pockets - indulging in Rs 600 Crores of scam...," he said.

According to the CBI, irregular appointments of candidates were made in Central Railway, violating the laid down norms and procedures of Indian Railways for recruitment.

On March 15, the Court 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 the land for jobs scam case.

According to the CBI, as a quid-pro-quo, the candidates directly or through their immediate relatives or 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.

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 Patna villages- Mahuabagh and Kunjwa, 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 Patna villages Mahjabagh, Bindaul and Bihta, 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.