With the floor test in Bihar Vidhan Sabha scheduled on Wednesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) accompanied by paramilitary forces raided the premises of five legislators and parliamentarians in Bihar.

The multiple raids were conducted in connection with the IRCTC land-for-job scam on the premises of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders — MLC Sunil Singh, Rajya Sabha MP Asfaq Karim, Rajya Sabha MP Fayyaz Ahmed, Ex-MLC Subodh Rai and former MLA Abu Dujana.

The raid was conducted at the offices and residence of Sunil Kumar Singh, RJD MLC and chairman of Biscoman. Sunil Kumar Singh is said to be very close to Lalu Prasad family. He also works as an adviser to former CM Rabri Devi. A team of CBI reached his residence located near JD women’s college at Bailey road and Biscoman tower located west of the Gandhi Maidan.

Reacting to it, Singh said: “The raid was conducted only to upset us. It is happening on the direction of the Central government. The timing of the raid just before the floor test in Bihar Vidhan Sabha is also important. They have deliberately chosen the day of the floor test.”

Following the raid, hundreds of RJD workers reached the house of Sunil Singh and shouted slogans against the CBI and Narendra Modi government. They were also holding the placards.

A team of CBI officers also raided the official residence of Rajya Sabha MP Asfaq Karim in Katihar. The team reached there with a unit of CRPF personnel.

Another CBI team accompanied by CRPF arrived at the residence in Madhubani of Fayyaz Ahmed, the Rajya Sabha MP of the RJD. Separate CBI teams also raided the premises of Subodh Rai, the former MLC of RJD and former MLA Abu Dujana.

This is the first time that the central reserve forces were being used by the CBI to conduct raids on the leaders of ruling parties.

Sources said that the CBI personnel were apprehensive about the local police. Hence, the Center was using paramilitary forces to provide security to them.

During the Agnipath protests, around one dozen BJP leaders were targeted by the protesters. Then, the Narendra Modi government provided Y-category security to nine leaders, including state president Sanjay Jaiswal, former deputy CM Tar Kishore Prasad, Ashwini Chaubey, Giriraj Singh, Hari Bhushan Thakur and others.

The CBI believes that the Bihar Police can act according to the direction of the state government. Hence, it would be wise to take help from the paramilitary forces, which come under the Central government, said the sources.

Reacting to the raids, Rabri Devi, the former chief minister of Bihar said: “BJP is scared of the strength of Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. Hence, the Central government has directed the CBI to conduct raids on the RJD leaders. It is a conspiracy of the Narendra Modi government. We are not afraid of such raids. The BJP is looting the country and conducting raids on the opposition parties.

“The country is witnessing the conspiracy of BJP. The people of Bihar are our family and they will give appropriate answers in the future.”

Neeraj Kumar, the MLC and chief spokesperson of JD(U) said: “The Narendra Modi government is dangerously using the Central agencies against leaders of the opposition parties. The state government will prove its majority in the Bihar Vidhan Sabha and the Center is displaying the power of CBI and ED in Bihar.”

Sanjay Jaiswal, the state BJP president said: “BJP neither frames anyone nor saves. CM Nitish Kumar had complained before the CBI and raids were conducted today. Hence, he is answerable to them and not us.”