Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) here for questioning in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs case.

Tejashwi reached the CBI headquarters in the National Capital at around 10:40 am.

“We have been cooperating with investigative agencies from the beginning. But the kind of political environment prevailing in the country… It is easy to bow down. But it is very tough to fight,” Yadav told the media before leaving his residence in New Delhi for the CBI headquarters.

“We have chosen to fight. We will fight and we will prevail,” Yadav added.

On Saturday afternoon, the Bihar deputy chief minister left the CBI office for a lunch break and went straight to meet his pregnant wife, who is admitted to a hospital in South Delhi.

Tejashwi had earlier skipped three CBI summons. Before this, he was called to join the probe on March 4, 11 and 14. The last time he did not join the probe was due to his wife’s health issues.

The agency had recently grilled Tejashwi Yadav’s mother and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and father and former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in the matter.

The CBI has alleged that it was found that the accused in conspiracy with the then GM and CPO of the Central Railways engaged persons as substitutes in lieu of land either in their name or in the name of close relatives of the family.

The CBI had registered a case against Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, two daughters and 15 others, including unknown public servants and private persons.

“During the period 2004-2009 Yadav had obtained pecuniary advantages in the form of transfer of landed property in the name of his family members in lieu of appointment of substitutes in Group ‘D’ posts in different Zones of Railways,” a CBI official had said.

A number of residents of Patna themselves or through their family members sold and gifted their land in favour of the family members of Yadav and a private company controlled by Yadav and his family.

“No advertisement or any public notice was issued for such appointment of substitutes in Zonal Railways, yet the appointees who were residents of Patna were appointed as Substitutes in different Zonal Railways located at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hazipur.

“In continuation of this modus operandi, about 1,05,292 Sq. feet land, immovable properties situated at Patna were acquired by Yadav and his family members through five sales deeds and two gift deeds, showing the payment made to seller in cash in most of the land transfer,” the official added.