Land-for-job-scam: CBI files charge sheet against Lalu, Rabri, Tejashwi

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday filed a charge sheet before Delhi court in connection with a case related to the alleged land-for-job scam.

Before the Rouse Avenue Court, the probe agency filed a charge sheet against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and their son and Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav.

CBI through its Special Public Prosecutor Advocate DP Singh apprised the court that a fresh chargesheet is filed in the case, despite a chargesheet already being filed because the alleged act is committed with a different modus operandi.

The court was also informed that sanctions are awaited against Lalu and three others.

“During the period 2004-2009 Yadav 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’ posts in different Zones of Railways,” the CBI official had earlier said.

The CBI had registered a case against Lalu Yadav, the then union Railway Minister, his wife Rabri Devi, two daughters and 15 others, including unknown public servants and private persons.

A number of residents of Patna themselves or through their family members sold and gifted their land in favour of the family members of Yadav and a private company controlled by Yadav and his family.

“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 Sq. 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 had said.

In its first charge sheet, the CBI said that irregular appointments had been made in the Railways in violation of the standards and guidelines established by the Indian Railways for hiring.

It is alleged that the candidates gave Yadav’s family members land at extremely reduced prices -- up to one-fifth of the going market rates -- directly or through their close relatives and family members.

The CBI had filed the charge sheet in the case on October 10, 2022, against 16 persons including Rabri Devi and daughter and sanction was then obtained to prosecute them.