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Lalu made Kanti minister in UPA-I after obtaining her property: Modi

Last Updated 27 April 2017, 13:04 IST

Senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi on Thursday alleged that Lalu Prasad obtained huge immoveable property from Kanti Singh in lieu of making her Union Minister from the RJD quota during the UPA-I regime.

Substantiating his claim with documentary evidence, Modi said Kanti Singh, who was Union Minister of State for HRD in the Manmohan Singh Government, gave her land (around one acre) to Lalu’s wife Rabri Devi on March 13, 2006. This deal, Modi said, was executed to ensure that Kanti continued as a Union Minister.

Lalu, who was then Railway Minister, was also the RJD president and, as such, decided who all from his party would join the Manmohan Singh government in 2004-2009.

Kanti Singh is the second RJD leader after Raghunath Jha, who, Modi alleged, became minister in UPA-I after Lalu obtained their immoveable assets as gift/sale/lease to either Rabri or their sons Tej Pratap and Tejaswi Yadav.

On Wednesday, the BJP leader had alleged how Raghunath Jha in 2005 had gifted six kathas of land, along with a three-storeyed building, in Gopalganj to Lalu’s sons Tej Pratap and Tejaswi in lieu of getting a ministerial berth. After the ‘deal’, Raghunath was eventually sworn in as Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries.

The RJD admitted that Raghunath had gifted his land and other immoveable property to Lalu’s sons but asked Modi not to rake up issues which are already in public domain.

“Why Modi is making so much hue and cry over such property gift. In India, anyone can gift his or her property to any person,” said RJD national spokesperson Manoj Jha. He, however, remained evasive when asked why all the RJD leaders transferred their property to either Lalu or his family members.

Modi said the property ‘usurped’ by Lalu (in the name of making RJD leaders as Union ministers) was a classic case of corruption by a man who is already convicted in fodder scam.

“We demand a thorough probe when Lalu was Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009. Besides, Lalu should come out clean on property obtained from others. Earlier, I had already given proof how Lalu usurped the property of three businessmen. Neither the RJD nor Lalu and his family members have ever contradicted my charges,” said Modi, who was instrumental in exposing Lalu during fodder scam in mid-90s.

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(Published 27 April 2017, 13:04 IST)

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