By Pragati Saha
On Friday, a Delhi court charged RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in a corruption case linked with the alleged land-for-jobs scam investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI).
Special judge Vishal Gogne of Rouse Avenue Courts stated that Yadav and his family operated as a criminal syndicate and were involved in a larger conspiracy. The court dismissed the discharge request made by Yadav and his family as entirely unjustified.
The court even determined, based on suspicion, that Lalu Prasad Yadav was involved in a major conspiracy to use public jobs as leverage to obtain real estate for his family. The court also noted that the CBI’s chargesheet shows that Yadav’s close associates acted as conspirators.
Among the 98 individuals accused, the court released 52 individuals, including some CPOs. Charges have been brought against 41 of the accused. Additionally, the court has charged Yadav’s wife, Rabri Devi, their son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, and several other individuals with corruption. A detailed order is yet to come. There are 107 people listed as accused in the case. However, five of them have passed away, and the proceedings against them have been terminated.
The case dates back to October 10, 2022, when the CBI submitted a chargesheet against 16 persons. Among those accused were Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi (his wife), Misa Bharti (their daughter) and many others. The CBI claims that several citizens of Bihar were recruited as substitutes for “Group-D posts” between 2004 and 2009 across different railway zones in Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hajipur.
It has been claimed that instead, the individuals or their families gave their land to the family members of then Union Minister of Railways Lalu Prasad Yadav and a company known as M/S AK Infosystem Private Limited, which was later acquired by his family member.
The CBI even stated that the railway appointment did not align with the standards and guidelines set by the Indian Railway for recruitment.