CBI questioning of Rabri Devi: Oppn parties attack govt, BJP says, RJD prez 'reaping what he has sown'

Lashing out at the government, Rabri Devi's son and Bihar Deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav said the CBI team's visit to the residence of his mother was a result of his family's "relentless opposition to the ruling BJP at the Centre".

"It is an open secret that probe agencies are acting against political opponents of the BJP and helping those who agree to align with that party. Examples of Ajit Pawar in Maharashtra and Mukul Roy in West Bengal are proof," the RJD leader told reporters outside the Bihar assembly.

He, however, declined to comment about the "timing" of the CBI action that came a day after nine opposition leaders wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, protesting the arrest of Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and alleged misuse of central probe agencies. Tejashwi Yadav was also a signatory.

Denying any political vendetta, the BJP asserted that the CBI was "doing its job as an independent agency" and Prasad was "reaping what he had sown".

Jibesh Kumar Mishra, a BJP leader and a former minister, said,"Lalu Prasad was first convicted in a fodder scam case in 2013, when the Congress-led UPA, of which his party was a part, ruled the Centre." "The CBI is an independent agency doing its job. Allegations of political vendetta are baseless. Lalu Prasad and his family are reaping what he has sown (jaisi karni vaisi bharni)," the BJP leader added.

The CBI questioned Rabri Devi and has issued notice to her husband and former railway minister Lalu Prasad in connection with the further probe in the land-for-jobs scam case, officials said.

At a press conference in New Delhi, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said,"we condemn the CBI raid at Rabri Devi's residence because it is no coincidence that ED cases have increased four times since 2014 and 95 per cent cases are against the Opposition leaders." "Your ED, CBI, Income Tax department, Department of Revenue Intelligence, do not visit (Gautam) Adani's residence. No notice is served on Adani. Lakhs of crores worth of drugs are found in Mundra port and no Narcotics Control Bureau raid takes place, there is no discussion," she said.

Former Congress leader, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said the questioning was a means to harass Tejashwi Yadav.

"CBI heat on Lalu. We all know the fragile state of his health. To pressurise Tejashwi. The more the government does this, the more the people will turn against this government," he said in a tweet.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed the CBI action "humiliating".

"Raids going on members of the opposition are humiliating...This is becoming a trend in states governed by the opposition, to halt their working. They use ED, CBI & Governor to trouble them...A nation can only move forward when everyone works together," he said while responding to a question on CBI action against Rabri Devi.

Another BJP leader Nitin Nabin, a former state minister, said the RJD leader's brush with the central agency was a long one.

"Lalu Prasad's brush with the CBI has been long. The fodder scam cases in which he has been convicted were lodged much before the BJP came into the picture," he said.