By Vishwapati
Patna: Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, troubles for RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family appear to be mounting. A hearing was conducted today (Thursday) at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court in connection with the land-for-jobs scam. During the proceedings, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) informed the court that the necessary approval has been obtained to prosecute all former public servants involved in the case.
The CBI also stated that permission to prosecute RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav had already been granted by the competent authority. The court has scheduled 7 February as the date to take cognisance of the supplementary chargesheet filed by the CBI. This means the next hearing will take place on that date.
Court Approves Prosecution
Notably, earlier hearings scheduled for 23 December and 16 January were postponed due to various reasons. Following today’s hearing, the court approved the prosecution of the accused. During the 7 October 2023 hearing, all nine accused, including members of the Lalu family, were granted bail.
The Rouse Avenue Court had granted bail on a personal bond of ₹1 lakh each and directed the accused to surrender their passports. On 20 January 2024, teams from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Delhi and Patna questioned Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav for over 10 hours.
CBI Investigation Uncovers Land Transfers for Railway Jobs
According to sources, Lalu Prasad Yadav was asked over 50 questions, to which he mostly responded with ‘yes’ or ‘no’. He was reportedly irritated on several occasions during the interrogation. Tejashwi Yadav also underwent questioning for approximately 10–11 hours on 30 January last year.
The Lalu family is accused of accepting land from candidates in exchange for jobs in the Indian Railways. Companies such as M/s AK Infosystems Private Limited and M/s AB Exports Private Limited are allegedly linked to the scam. Tejashwi Yadav is accused of purchasing a bungalow worth ₹150 crore in Delhi’s New Friends Colony at a significantly lower price, allegedly from a candidate who secured a railway job through the scheme.
The land-for-jobs scam dates back to 2004–2009, during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure as Railway Minister in the UPA-I government. According to the CBI, he unlawfully appointed 12 individuals from Patna to Group D posts in the Railways in exchange for land, which was transferred to his family members.
CBI Identifies Multiple Instances of Alleged Corruption
The investigation revealed seven instances where candidates’ family members transferred land to Lalu Yadav’s wife, Rabri Devi, and daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav after securing railway jobs. The CBI claims these plots were purchased at nominal prices, with payments made in cash.
The preliminary inquiry began in 2021 and later developed into a formal case. Now, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, Misa Bharti, and Hema Yadav are facing trial in the Rouse Avenue Court as accused in the scam.
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- The author, Vishwapati, is a senior journalist based in Patna. He may be contacted at vishwapati25@gmail.com