New Delhi: RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav has landed in a controversy following reports that soil from land owned by his family was sold to the Forest Department of the Bihar government, that too circumventing the tender process.

Furthermore, Lalu’s eldest son, Tej Pratap Yadav, is the state environment and forest minister under whom the forest department falls.

Lalu’s family holds a big piece of land on the outskirt of Patna where a mall is being constructed by a private builder who also happens to be a RJD MLA.

Tej Pratap and his younger brother Tejaswi Yadav, who is also the deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, are directors of company which holds the land.

As the work began on the plot to build the mall, a lot of soil was dug out of the plot which was deemed surplus. This was allegedly sold to Patna Zoo where some construction work was under way for Rs 90 lakh, that too without tender.

Patna Zoo falls under the Bihar Forest Department.

The state opposition has already latched onto this issue. Sushil Modi, state BJP leader, said, “How can soil of one’s private land be sold to a department where a family member is a minister? A Rs 90 lakh deal was made, that too without floating any tender.”

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