The Opposition on Saturday questioned Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's continued silence over a series of serious allegations made against ally and RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav, even as senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi made fresh charges of the Yadav clan having "financial links" with Surendra Jain and Virendra Jain, who are currently behind the bars in an alleged Rs 8,000 crore money laundering case.
Modi sought to know why Lalu was financially connected with the Jain brothers, whose case is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate, or with Anwar Ahmad, whose Anwar Awami Bank was recently raided by the CBI. "The RJD President should answer about what connections he has with them, and why." Modi said, while addressing a press meet at Bihar BJP headquarters in Patna on Saturday.
The senior BJP leader has made a series of "expose" since April 4, against Lalu and his family's "Benami properties." He questioned how Lalu's eldest daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Misa Bharti had turned an investment of Rs two lakh in 2002, to Rs 50 crore at present.
"Even though her company had shut down its operations, the shares were bought at almost ten times the rate by Jain brothers in 2008, only to be sold back to her at original price 11 months later. Misa should explain the economics behind it, and also why this was not declared in her election affidavit," Modi said.
The BJP has pointed out similarities in all "exposed companies", stating, "The companies were set up by businessmen or politicians and transferred to Lalu's family members at throwaway prices, none of them actually carried out any business, there were no employees hired and no turnover shown."
Apart from the BJP's "Benami deal allegations", a television channel recently "exposed" a coversation between Lalu and jailed don Mohammad Shahabuddin, while the Supreme Court directed for Lalu's trial in the fodder scam case. However, Nitish has been largely silent about the matter. "Why is Nitish silent and not taking action against Lalu after all that has come to light?" Union minister and Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) President Ram Vilas Paswan, said here on Saturday.
The RJD, in a press note issued on Saturday evening, denied Modi's allegations and said all due formalities had been completed in the transaction mentioned by Modi.
Attack on family
Sushil Modi questioned how Lalu’s eldest daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Misa Bharti had turned an investment of Rs 2 lakh in 2002 to Rs 50 crore at present.
