New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday assured the Delhi High Court it will not arrest Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav this month, after which the politician agreed he will appear before the probe agency on March 25 for questioning in connection with a case related to the alleged land-for-jobs scam.
Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma recorded the CBI counsel’s statement that the agency was not contemplating to arrest Tejashwi Yadav this month. Following the assurance, senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing Tejashwi Yadav, submitted to the court that the leader will appear on March 25 before the investigating officer at CBI headquarters in Delhi at 10:30 am.
Noting the submissions of both the sides, the high court disposed of the petition in which Tejashwi Yadav has sought quashing of summons issued to him by the CBI for appearing before it in Delhi.
RJD supremo and former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son Tejashwi in his plea said he has requested the investigating officer through multiple letters to allow him some time as the current Bihar assembly session will conclude on April 5.
Tejashwi Yadav’s lawyer said three summons have been issued to him since February and he has requested the agency that till the budget sessions is going on, either he be allowed to appear in the CBI office in Patna or if any information or documents are required from his side then he shall provide the same through his authorised representative in New Delhi.
He said one of the co-accused was called for questioning to CBI’s Delhi office but was arrested.
To this, CBI’s counsel D P Singh said the house does not assemble on Saturdays and Tejashwi Yadav can appear before the agency on any Saturday this month as per his convenience.
As the judge suggested that till April 5, the CBI can make an alternative arrangement to examine Tejashwi Yadav via a video link, the CBI’s lawyer said the Bihar leader’s physical presence is necessary as documents have to be shown to him and the agency’s chargesheet was ready, which has to be filed in the court this month itself.
CBI’s lawyer, however, assured the court that Tejashwi Yadav will not be arrested this month.
The case relates to alleged appointments made in the railways in return for land parcels gifted or sold to Lalu Prasad Yadav’s family when he was railway minister between 2004 and 2009. The CBI, in its chargesheet, alleged that irregular appointments were made in the railways, violating norms and procedures of the Indian Railways for recruitment.