The Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned former Chief Minister of Bihar Rabri Devi and her son MLA Tej Pratap Yadav on Tuesday in the land-for-job case – dating back to 2004-09 when RJD Supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav was the union railway minister.

Lalu Prasad Yadav has been summoned to appear before the ED investigators on Wednesday in the same case.

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The ED is probing the case based on a FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the case. According to the FIR, the candidates were told to transfer land either as gifts or at cheap rates in return for jobs in the railways. The CBI is conducting a parallel investigation against Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members.

Last week, Tej Pratap Yadav, his sister Hema Yadav and other accused persons were granted bail by the Rouse Avenue court, New Delhi, in the same case.

During the four-hour interrogation on Tuesday, the federal agency asked Rabri Devi and Tej Pratap Yadav to provide further details about the prime properties the family has acquired in posh locations of Delhi and Patna. They were also asked about the candidates and their relations with the Lalu family.

While leaving the ED office, Rabri Devi or Tej Pratap Yadav, who appeared before the investigating agency for the first time, refused to speak to the media.

RJD MP Misa Bharti, who was accompanying them, linked it to the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar. She said that elections are going to be held in Bihar. That is why this type of interrogation is being conducted. All this is a political thing, it has been happening before every election.

Reacting to the ED’s questioning of Lalu’s family, RJD MLC Sunil Singh said that the central agency is deliberately taking such action. This is a routine matter. It is just to tarnish the reputation of Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family before the elections.

RJD MLA Mukesh Roshan said that the ED’s summons to Lalu family is a message for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

“This entire exercise is targeted at Nitish Kumar. This is part of the BJP’s pressure politics to make sure that the JDU remains a part of the NDA,” he said.