CBI gets prosecution sanction against Lalu Prasad in land for job case

New Delhi, Jan 13 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has got the prosecution sanction from the Ministry of Home Affairs against former Union Minister of Railways and Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad in connection with a case related to land for job scam.

An official said the CBI furnished the prosecution sanction letter before the concerned court.

The CBI had in October last year in its chargesheet named 16 accused including Lalu Prasad, his wife, daughter, then GM of Central Railways, then Chief Personnel Officer (CPO), private persons, and some candidates in the matter.

The CBI had said that during the investigation, it has been found that the accused in conspiracy with the then GM Central Railways and CPO, Central Railways engaged persons as substitutes in lieu of land either in their name or in the name of their close relatives.

This land was acquired at prices lower than the prevailing circle rate and much lower than the market rate.

"The candidates have used false TC and submitted false attested documents to the Ministry of Railways," the CBI has alleged in the chargesheet.

The CBI has learnt during the probe that Lalu Prasad's wife Rabri Devi and daughter Hema Yadav were gifted land in connection with the land for job scam by job seekers who were later appointed in railways.

Haridayanand Chaudhary, a Railway employee and Bhola Yadav, then OSD to former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad were earlier arrested by the CBI. Bhola was Lalu's OSD between 2004 to 2009.

"During the period 2004-2009, Lalu Prasad had obtained pecuniary advantages in the form of transfer of landed property in the name of his family members in lieu of appointment of substitutes in Group D post in different zones of Railways," the official said.

A number of residents of Patna themselves or through their family members sold and gifted their land situated at Patna in favour of the family members of Prasad, and a private company controlled by Prasad and his family, and they were also involved in transfer of such immovable properties.

"No advertisement or any public notice was issued for such appointment of substitutes in Zonal Railways, yet the appointees who were residents of Patna were appointed as substitutes in different zonal railways located at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hazipur.

"In continuation of this modus operandi, about 1,05,292 square feet land, immovable properties situated at Patna were acquired by Yadav and his family members through five sales deeds and two gift deeds, showing the payment made to seller in cash in most of the land transfer," the CBI official said.