Tejashwi Yadav, the dynamic RJD stalwart and Leader of Opposition in Bihar, stood his ground in Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Monday, rejecting every allegation in the CBI’s Land for Jobs investigation. By electing to go to trial, he has ensured that the matter will proceed to substantive hearings from March 9, marking a crucial chapter in this long-simmering controversy.
At the heart of the probe is a scheme allegedly run during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s railway ministry days (2004-2009), where land deals were struck for job placements. CBI documents detail how families of Group-D recruits transferred small but strategically located plots in Bihar districts to Lalu associates, which were subsequently formalized in family names—a classic case of influence peddling, prosecutors claim.
Judicial proceedings gained momentum after the court summoned the Lalu clan, including Rabri Devi and sons, criticizing their collective role as a ‘criminal gang’ behind a grand plot. Tejashwi, absent from an initial hearing for unspecified reasons, made his appearance this week, unequivocally denying wrongdoing and decrying the case as a tool of political persecution.
Post-hearing interactions with reporters saw Yadav project confidence in the courts while sidestepping queries on brother Tej Pratap’s rift with RJD leaders. Tej Pratap’s Sunday outburst, calling out five party members as conspirators, highlights deepening divisions that could impact RJD’s cohesion.
As formal trial dates approach, this case not only tests the Yadavs’ legal defenses but also their political resilience in Bihar’s cutthroat arena. Observers await how these developments unfold amid ongoing state-level power plays.