Tejashwi calls ED's claim 'rumours' over 600 crore 'proceeds of crime'

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav has termed as “rumours” claims by the Enforcement Directorate that proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs 600 crore were unearthed during searches of premises owned by him and his close family members.

The RJD leader, who is currently away in Delhi, also said that the BJP will be embarrassed if it publishes the 'panchnama' (seizure list) signed after the raids. “Just remember in 2007 there were alleged transactions worth Rs 8,000 crore including a mall and hundreds of plots,” Yadav tweeted in an apparent reference to the hotel land “scam” involving his father Lalu Prasad's tenure as Minister of Railways.

Yadav, who is now facing the heat in the land-for-work 'scam' dating back to around the same period, also recalled that his name was linked to an occupied mall in Gurugram, which turned out to be owned by a private company. The RJD threatened legal action against the media for “incorrectly” reporting that Yadav, the party supremo's son and heir apparent, owned a business establishment.

“The BJP government (at the Centre) is again spreading rumours, sources quoted. It should have asked its spin doctors to settle the bill for the previous operations first before coming up with a new story of Rs 600 crore,” Yadav said.

The ED on Saturday said it seized “unaccounted cash” of Rs 1 crore and “found proceeds of crime worth Rs 600 crore” after raiding RJD chief Lalu Prasad's family in connection with a land-related money laundering case in railways work “fraud”. “Let them publish the 'panchnama' (seizure list) signed after the raids. If we do so ourselves, think of the shame these BJP leaders will have to face,” Yadav added.

The ED on Friday raided several places associated with Prasad's family members, including his son Tejashwi, in Delhi. The CBI also recently interrogated Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi — former chief ministers of Bihar — in the case.