Benami land deals: Lalu under IT scanner, raids underway

Raids conducted by the Income Tax department are underway at the 22 locations in Delhi, Gurugram on companies and people associated with former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.

A team of about 100 tax department officials and police personnel are reportedly carrying out the raids.

As per sources, the raids are being conducted on the charges of illegal (benami) land deals worth Rs. 1,000 crore.

The searches are reportedly also being conducted at the premises of the son of RJD MP P C Gupta and few other businessmen.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is already under scanner in the fodder scam case.

Earlier on May 9, the Supreme Court revived criminal conspiracy charges against Lalu Yadav and other accused involved in the fodder scam case.

A two-judge bench also ruled that the trial should be completed within nine months.

In 2014, the Jharkhand High Court provided relief to the RJD supremo and others by dropping criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and prevention of corruption charges.

Around 53 cases were registered for misappropriation of funds on the pretext of buying fodder for cattle.

Previously the High court had cancelled the cases on grounds that a person convicted in one case could not be tried in similar cases with same witnesses and evidence.

However, the CBI contended that though the cases have arisen from the fodder scam, different amounts were involved from different treasuries.

The fodder scam relates to fraudulent withdrawal of around Rs. 1,000 crore by the Animal Husbandry department from various districts when Lalu was Bihar Chief Minister from 1990 to 1997.

-ANI