CBI records Rabri's statement in connection with money laundering case

A CBI team today recorded the statement of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi at her residence here in connection with an alleged money laundering case involving a cooperative bank in which a huge amount of old high-value currency notes were deposited after demonetisation.

The four-member CBI team reached Rabri Devi's 10, Circular Road residence around noon and left after about 20 minutes. Her husband and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, who is out on provisional bail in fodder scam cases, was also inside the bungalow.

Rabri Devi had received a CBI notice a few days ago. The agency wanted to record her statement in connection with the money laundering case against the Bihar Awami Cooperative Bank, the family's close aide RJD National General Secretary and MLA Bhola Yadav told reporters outside the bungalow.

The Bihar Awami Cooperative Bank is headed by Anwar Ahmed, a close confidant of Prasad. Ahmed's culinary skills had earned him the sobriquet of "kebab mantri" when the RJD supremo was the chief minister in the 1990s.

The CBI case pertains to alleged conversion of black money into white through the bank by depositing a huge amount of old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes which were invalidated on November 8, 2016.

Bhola Yadav said she also produced before the CBI officials her income tax returns and all necessary documents which "satisfied the team", and it left without speaking to any other member of the family.

While Prasad is serving sentences in a number of fodder scam cases, Rabri Devi and her children, including RJD heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav, have been named in FIRs registered by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate in railways hotels-for-land scam.