By Vishwapati
Patna: A hearing in the ‘Land for Job’ case took place at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday, during which the court granted bail to all the accused. The bail was granted on a bond of ₹50,000. Among those present in court during the hearing were Tej Pratap Yadav and Hema Yadav, the son and daughter of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Earlier, on February 25, the court had taken cognisance of the final charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and issued summons to all the accused. The court had directed Tej Pratap Yadav, Hema Yadav, and others to appear before it on March 11.
The CBI has filed a charge sheet against a total of 78 individuals in this case, including 30 public servants. It is alleged that during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure as Railway Minister, land was exchanged in return for securing jobs in the railways. Among those implicated is Railway Board official R.K. Mahajan. The CBI informed the court that necessary permissions had been obtained to take action against the accused and that the list of witnesses was also prepared. The court will now proceed with further action in the matter.
The ‘Land for Job’ case centres on allegations that during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s time as Railway Minister, land was transferred either in his name or in the names of his family members in exchange for providing railway jobs to certain individuals. The CBI’s investigation revealed that during this period, land belonging to several people was transferred to close associates of the Lalu family.
The CBI has named Lalu Yadav and several members of his family as accused in the case. Earlier, on January 20, 2024, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had questioned Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav at length in Delhi and Patna. According to sources, Lalu Yadav was asked over 50 questions during this period, most of which he answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. It is reported that Lalu Yadav appeared visibly irritated at times during the interrogation. Tejashwi Yadav was also questioned for approximately 10-11 hours on January 30. Following these interrogations, the ED gathered significant information, which has been detailed in its report.
The ‘Land for Job’ scam dates back to Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure as Railway Minister. It is alleged that land was taken from candidates in exchange for securing jobs in the railways. Serious corruption charges have been levelled against Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family in this case.
While the court has granted bail to all the accused on a bond of ₹50,000, the investigation into the case is ongoing, and further revelations are expected in the next phase of the hearing. The ‘Land for Job’ case remains a significant issue in Bihar politics, with the allegations against the Lalu family increasing political pressure on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). All eyes will now be on the court’s future decisions in this matter. For now, Tej Pratap Yadav and Hema Yadav have secured temporary relief, but the legal proceedings and investigation continue.
(The author, Vishwapati, is a senior journalist based in Patna. He may be contacted at vishwapati25@gmail.com)
