The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday issued fourth summon to Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav in connection with the land-for-job scam.
He has been asked to appear before the probe agency on March 25. Tejashwi has as of now skipped three summons. Before this, he was summoned to join the investigation on March 4, 11 and 14.
Last time Tejashwi didn't join the probe after citing wife's health issues. The probe agency had recently grilled former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and former Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad in the case.
The CBI has alleged that during the investigation, it was found that "the accused in conspiracy with the then GM and CPO of the Central Railways engaged persons as substitutes in lieu of land either in their name or in the name of close relatives of the Lalu family".
The CBI had registered a case against Lalu Yadav, the then Union Railway Minister, his wife Rabri Devi, two daughters and 15 others, including unknown public servants and private persons.
"During the period 2004-2009, Lalu had obtained pecuniary advantages in the form of transfer of landed property in the name of his family members in lieu of appointment of substitutes in Group 'D' posts in different Zones of Railways," the official said.
A number of residents of Patna themselves or through their family members sold and gifted their land in favour of the family members of Lalu Prasad and a private company controlled by him and his family.
"No advertisement or any public notice was issued for such appointment of substitutes in Zonal Railways, yet the appointees, who were residents of Patna, were appointed as substitutes in different Zonal Railways located at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hajipur.
"In continuation of this modus operandi, about 1,05,292 Sq. feet land, immovable properties situated at Patna were acquired by Yadav and his family members through five sales deeds and two gift deeds, showing the payment made to seller in cash in most of the land transfer," the CBI had said.