Lalu's family in jeopardy, now wife Rabri accused of corruption

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's family is under fire, as first it was his children who were being accused of corruption and now his wife Rabri Devi is being inculpated of owning benami properties.

Adding more trouble to Lalu's woes, the Income Tax Department earlier today slapped charges under the stringent Benami Transactions Act in an alleged money laundering case against Rabri.

Including Rabri, the Income Tax department had attached a total of 12 plots of Lalu's daughter Misa Bharti and her husband Shailesh Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav and sisters Ragini and Chanda Yadav.

One farmhouse in Delhi and one bungalow in New Friends Colony are also attached.

Rabri is a beneficiary in all the 12 plots which amount to a total of 85 crores.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sushil Modi earlier in the day alleged that Rabri owns more than 18 flats and 18 parking spaces in Patna.

"Former Bihar CM Rabri Devi owns more than 18 flats and 18 parking spaces in Patna. For all those whom she provided jobs, higher education and other needs, she (Rabri) had taken bribe and bought this land which is worth more than Rs. 18 crore." Modi told ANI.

The I-T department had earlier seized Benami properties of Misa Bharti, Shailesh Kumar and Tejaswi Yadav.

Two summons to Misa were also issued, but after she failed to appear, the I-T department proceeded to seize the properties which were raided in May.

On June 13, the I-T Department summoned Shailesh Kumar, in connection with the benami assets and tax evasion case registered against him.

On June 7, the I-T department slapped a fine of Rs. 10,000 against Shailesh on account of not appearing for interrogation.

Earlier, Misa Bharti and her husband Shailesh were summoned by the I-T department in connection with a 'benami' assets case.

The summons were issued days after the arrest of Bharti's Chartered Accountant (CA) Rakesh Agrawal, in connection with an Enforcement Directorate probe into a Rs. 8,000 crore money laundering racket, involving two Delhi-based businessmen and a few political entities.

Agrawal was arrested under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for allegedly being instrumental in providing accommodation entries (illegal funds) to launder the money of businessmen brothers - Virendra Jain and Surendra Jain.

The I-T department in its summons reportedly said it wishes to question Misa and her husband on transactions conducted by M/s Mishail Packers and Printers Private Limited.

The I-T department had conducted raids and surveys at about 22 locations in Delhi and adjoining areas in connection with alleged benami deals of Rs 1,000 crore by Lalu's family.