CBI searches RJD leaders' premises on day Nitish Govt wins trust vote

Hours before the floor test in Bihar, the Central Bureau of Investigation conducted searches in nearly 30 places, including homes of three senior leaders of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, in connection with its probe in the 'land-for-jobs' case allegedly involving RJD president Lalu Prasad.

The agency claimed to have found over 200 sale deeds. At the time of filing of FIR in May, CBI had only "five sale deeds of the lands purchased in lieu of jobs offered".

The RJD leaders whose residences were searched on Wednesday included Rajya Sabha MPs Ahmad Ashfaque Karim and Faiyaz Ahmad and MLC Sunil Singh. CBI searches were conducted in Delhi, Patna and Gopalganj and other districts of Bihar.


CBI alleges its investigation into the 'land-for-jobs scam', when Lalu Prasad was railway minister in the UPA-I, shows his and his family's 'involvement'. Most applications submitted by individual job seekers were not addressed to any specific zonal railway but to 'GM railways, Government of India, or rail minister'. CBI claims recent interrogation of Bhola Yadav led to 'further leads'. Yadav was officer on special duty to Lalu Prasad when he was rail minister.

People in the know claimed that CBI found a list of over 1,450 applications of individuals during searches conducted recently on the premises linked to Lalu Prasad, Rabri Yadav, Bhola Yadav and other co-accused.