'She herself chose...': CBI on protest over visit to Rabri Devi's home

Rashtriya Janata Dal workers staged a protest in Patna against the CBI raid at the residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi.

A CBI team on Monday questioned former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi at her residence in connection with a case lodged by the agency pertaining to the period when her husband Lalu Prasad was the Railway Minister.

The CBI contingent came in four cars and reached 10, Circular Road, a stone's throw from the official residence of the Chief Minister and the Raj Bhavan at around 10.30 am and spent five hours inside.

Rashtriya Janata Dal workers staged a protest in Patna against the CBI raid at the residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi.

However, amid the protests, a CBI official confirmed that they visited Rabri Devi's home at her convenience and did not 'barge in'.

"Few days ago CBI summoned former Bihar CM Rabri Devi and she herself decided Monday, March 6, as the date of questioning at her residence. It's not that CBI barged in," the unnamed official said.

CBI headquarters in Delhi maintained that no "search" or "raid" was conducted at the house, in connection with the land for jobs scam for which it has recently received the Centre's sanction to prosecute Prasad, the RJD president, his wife and some other close members of the family.

Notably, unlike in the past when the house remained sealed whenever a raid was conducted, visitors were allowed during the period. Nonetheless, the word "chhapa" and "chhapemari" rent the air and a number of angry supporters reached the high-security locality to register their protest, some of them taking off their clothes in a fit of rage and vowing to "wipe out" (safaaay) the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls next year.

The "visit" by the CBI team comes a day after opposition leaders including Tejashwi Yadav wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing the government of misusing Central agencies "to settle scores with Opposition parties".