No end in sight for Yadavs’ troubles

Amidst the political turmoil in Bihar, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members are facing increased heat of Central investigative agencies — CBI, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the income tax — in several corruption cases by each passing day.

While the ED recently filed a chargesheet against Rajesh Agarwal, chartered accountant (CA) of Misa Bharti (MP daughter of RJD chief), in connection with `8,000crore money laundering case, the CBI, which recently registered a corruption case against Lalu Yadav and his family members for the alleged irregularities in awarding tenders for development, maintenance and operation of railway hotels at Ranchi and Puri to a private company, is preparing to start interrogation of the all accused from next week.

Sources in the Central probe agencies said, “The income-tax department will again initiate the process of attachment of assets of Ms Bharti, her husband Shailesh Kumar, Rabri Devi, son and bihar deputy CM Tejashwi and RJD chief ’s other daughters — Chanda and Ragini — in connection with its investigation into the stringent benami assets case.” The I-T department had recently charged six family members of the RJD chief under the new Anti-benami Assets Act in connection with its probe into alleged land deals worth `1,000 crore and tax evasion.

It is also believed that the ED is planning to attach the assets of Misa and her husband as part of its investigation into `8,000crore money laundering case. “Investigation by the agency has revealed that Misa’s CA is associated with some transactions involving two private firms Ms Mishail Packers and Printers Private Limited. The firm Mishail is allegedly linked to Misa,” sources said.

For the last three months, Bihar BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Modi has been alleging that the Yadav clan acquired benaami land and properties worth `950 crore over the last decade, a charge Lalu had dismissed many times.