The lowdown on the scams linked to Lalu Prasad's family

Both media and the opposition in Bihar have alleged involvement in a number scandals

The scams involving Lalu’s clan date back to the year 2000, when he and wife Rabri Devi were chargesheeted in a disproportionate assets case, and were later given clean shit by the Jharkhand Court. A Times of India report on how Lalu’s relatives made a killing in real estate through various front companies provides fodder for delving deeper into a number of scams linked to Lalu Prasad’s family.

Misha Bharti and Shailesh Kumar’s holdings

As revealed by Times Now, Lalu Prasad's eldest daugher Misha Bharti and her spouse Shailesh Kumar acquired a farmhouse at Bijwasan, a posh locality near Delhi's IGI airport, for a mere Rs 1.41 crore. The couple also acquired a farmhouse at Sainik Farms in the capital.

As per Registrar of Companies records, Misha Bharti is listed as director of at least four private limited companies, along with her husband.

Mishail Packers and Printers Pvt Ltd was incorporated in December 2002 by the couple and registered at Lalu's official bungalow at 25, Tughlak Road, New Delhi, which was allotted to the RJD chief in his capacity as a Rajya Sabha MP.

As reported in TOI, Misha and Shailesh appear to have used KHK Holdings, another front company, to 'buy' the 2.8-acre farmhouse at H27/1 Sainik Farms. The company was originally owned by Vivek Nagpal, a known figure in Delhi's political and business circles, who, in 2014, transferred 10,000 shares to the couple at only Rs one lakh.

In 2008-09, Mishail Packers bought a farmhouse at 26 Palam Farms in Bijwasan for Rs 1.41 crore. Funds were arranged through the sale of 1,20,000 shares of Rs 10 each in Mishail Packers, at a premium of Rs 90, to V K Jain and S K Jain.

PTI had reported back in March that the duo V K Jain and S K Jain were arrested by the Enforcement Directorate. They were produced in court and sent to 10 days’ custody.

Political slugfest exposes more scams

Sushil Modi of the BJP, Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar’s Legislative Council, has threatened to approach investigative agencies such as the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate in an attempt to expose Lalu Prasad. “In the days to come, I will expose them all,” Modi told reporters on the sidelines of his weekly Janata Darbar.

He alleged that AK Infosystems Pvt Ltd had purchased land at Panapur and Chittkohra in Patna in March 2007. In 2014, all the shares of the company were transferred to former chief minister Rabri Devi and her son, deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, in a move that  gave them ownership of the land. The BJP leader said the same company had purchased a double-storeyed building along with land at Salempur Dumra, Patna, at a cost of Rs 70 lakh.

RJD spokesperson Ashok Kumar Sinha responded by challenging Modi to approach any agency for a probe into the matter.  Sinha claimed Modi was making ‘frivolous allegations’ to regain the ground he had lost in his own party, the BJP.

In a "soil purchase scam" worth Rs 90 lakh, Sushil  Modi also demanded that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar sack his environment and forests minister Tej Pratap Yadav over his alleged involvement. Tej Pratap later responded in a tweet saying he planned to file a defamation case.