On Saturday, 20th January, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) summoned Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s close aide and former MLA Arun Yadav in an illegal sand mining case. Notably, the day before CBI summoned Arun Yadav, the Enforcement Directorate issued fresh summons to the RJD chief Lalu Yadav and his son, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, in connection to the land-for-jobs scam.
As per reports, the CBI team reached the ancestral house of Arun Yadav at village Agiaon in district Bhojpur and handed over a summons to his wife and RJD MLA Kiran Devi as Yadav was not available at the house. Arun Yadav’s wife was given a ticket, but he failed to secure one in the last elections, as his name figured in a rape case. He was accused of sexually assaulting a minor and was booked under the POCSO Act. However, he was later acquitted due to lack of evidence.
Yadav is accused of being involved in an illegal sand mining business that is spread over districts Ara to Patna in Bihar. Earlier, his name surfaced when the CBI took action against MLC Radha Charan Seth in an illegal sand mining case. CBI reportedly has evidence against Yadav in the case.
Meanwhile, ED has asked Lalu Yadav and his son Tejashwi to appear before it for questioning at its Patna office, sources said, adding that while Lalu Prasad has been asked to appear on January 29, Tejashwi is called the next day, on January 30.
Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi had skipped previous summons issued by the probe agency. Lalu Prasad, Tejashwi Yadav and Lalu’s wife and former Bihar CM Rabri Devi were granted bail by a trial court in October last year in the CBI case for the same scam.
