Land-for-job case: Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, Rabri Devi, others get regular bail
Land-for-job case: In a significant development, the Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi issued regular bail on Wednesday to former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Rabri Devi, and several others in connection with a fresh chargesheet related to the alleged land-for-jobs scam case.
The decision to grant bail was made by Special Judge Geetanjali Goel, who took into account the fact that no accused had been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in this matter. Furthermore, it was noted that the CBI did not oppose the bail petition presented by the accused parties.
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Simultaneously, the Court directed the CBI to serve copies of the fresh chargesheet to all the accused involved in the case. Earlier, the Court had taken cognizance of a chargesheet filed by the CBI and subsequently issued summons to all the accused.
The CBI's chargesheet pertains to the alleged Land-for-Job Scam and is the second one filed in the Designated Court. It names a total of 17 accused, including the former Union Minister of Railways, his wife, son, the then General Manager of West Central Railways (WCR), two Chief Personnel Officers (CPOs) of WCR, private individuals, and a private company, among others.
#WATCH | Delhi: Former Bihar CM and RJD chief Lalu Yadav, former Bihar CM Rabri Devi, Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav and RJD MP Misa Bharti leave from Rouse Avenue Court after they were granted bail in the alleged land-for-jobs scam case. pic.twitter.com/tp3jGdKD39 — ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2023
This case centers around allegations that the former Union Minister of Railways, during his tenure from 2004 to 2009, obtained financial benefits through the transfer of real estate properties to his family members in exchange for appointments to Group "D" positions in various Railways zones. The appointees, mostly residents of Patna, were purportedly chosen without any public advertisements or notices.
The investigation revealed that the former Minister, in collusion with associates and family members, conspired to acquire land in locations where his family already held properties. This was allegedly achieved by offering Group "D" employment opportunities in the Railways to landowners. The candidates' applications and documents were collected and forwarded for processing and job placements at West Central Railway, with approvals granted by the General Managers under the influence of the accused.
The accused devised an indirect mechanism, initially hiring candidates as substitutes and later regularising them as Railway employees. During searches, a hard disk containing lists of engaged candidates was discovered.
Furthermore, it was alleged that a private company had purchased land at a nominal price in 2007 and subsequently transferred it, along with other land parcels, to the wife and son of the former Railways Minister for a meager sum. This transfer significantly undervalued the properties, given their actual market worth.
Previously, a chargesheet was filed on October 7, 2022, against 16 accused parties, and the investigation remains ongoing, as informed by the CBI to the Court.
- ANI
