Will appear before CBI on March 25: Tejashwi in HC

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 16

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday told the Delhi High Court that he would appear before the CBI on March 25 for questioning in the alleged railway land-for-job scam case after the probe agency's counsel said the RJD leader would not be arrested.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma recorded the CBI counsel’s statement that the probe agency was not contemplating to arrest Tejashwi this month. Senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing the Deputy CM, said the RJD leader would appear before the investigating officer at the CBI headquarters in Delhi at 10.30 am on March 25.

After recording the submissions of both the sides, Justice Sharma disposed of Tejashwi’s petition seeking quashing of summons issued to him by the CBI for appearing before it in Delhi.

Tejashwi, who holds four portfolios in the Bihar Government, said he had requested the investigating officer through multiple letters to allow him some time as the Budget session of Bihar Assembly would conclude on April 5.

A Delhi court on Wednesday granted bail to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and their daughter Misa Bharti in the case after they appeared before it.

The case is about alleged appointments made in the railways in return for land parcels gifted or sold to Prasad's family when he was the Railway Minister in the UPA-I government during 2004-09.

The CBI alleged that irregular appointments were made in the railways, violating the laid down norms and procedures of Indian Railways for recruitment. As a quid pro quo, the candidates directly or through their immediate relatives and family members sold land to the family members of the then Railway Minister at almost one-fifth of the prevailing market rate. (With PTI inputs)