ED arrests ex-Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav's brother-in-law Subhash Yadav after raids in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday arrested sand mining mafia Subhash Yadav, prominent Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav's brother-in-law, after raids in several premises across Bihar in connection to a money laundering case. The central agency raided 6 premises linked to Yadav and his associates involved in sand mining. 

Some of the premises raided by the ED were said to be the hideouts of Subhash Yadav, India Today reported citing sources. The ED seized cash worth over Rs 2.30 crore and incriminating documents from his residence in Danapur near Patna.

Yadav has also contested the Lok Sabha on the RJD ticket. He is the Director of M/s Broadsons Commodities Pvt Ltd, the company allegedly involved in illegal sand mining in Bihar. 

The ED action comes after the Bihar Police registered 20 FIRs against M/s Broadsons Commodities Pvt Ltd (BCPL) and its director. The FIR alleged that the company engaged in illegal mining and sale of sand without using e-challans. Yadav is one of the key syndicate members in BPCL. 

Probe revealed that proceeds of crime worth around Rs 161 crore been generated through illegal sale of sand. The illegal sale of sand is controlled by a syndicate, which investigates in BCPL. The raids against and eventual arrest of the RJD leader came a day after the Income Tax department searched premises linked to MLC Binod Jaiswal. 

After Subhash Yadav was arrested by the ED, RJD spokesperson Rishi Mishra alleged that the BJP government at the Centre "lost trust in its own leaders and workers", which is why it was "unleashing central agencies on political adversaries."

Mishra also dismissed the BJP's argument that the agencies were doing their jobs independently and opposition leaders were falling on the radar because of corruption. "If everything is so fair and impartial, let there be some raids against Ajit Pawar, who was accused by none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi of having embezzled Rs 70,000 crore," Mishra was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. 

In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Yadav contested on the RJD ticket from Chhatra in Jharkhand, however, he lost. On March 3, he was spotted at the Mahagathbandhan's Jan Vishwas Maha Rally at the Gandhi Maidan in Patna. 

(With India Today, PTI inputs)