Land-for-jobs scam: CBI raids multiple locations in Bihar, Delhi linked to RJD leaders

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) searched nine locations in Bihar’s Patna and Arrah on Tuesday in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs scam involving Rashtriya Janata Dal leaders MLA Kiran Devi and former MLA Arun Yadav.

In the same alleged land-for-jobs scam, the CBI searched the offices of Rajya Sabha MP Prem Chand Gupta in Noida, Delhi, and Gurugram.

The CBI stated in its earlier chargesheet filed in connection with the alleged land-for-job scam that irregular appointments of candidates were made in Central Railways, violating Indian Railways’ laid down norms and procedures for recruitment.

As a quid-pro-quo, the candidates directly or through their immediate relatives/family members, sold land to the family members of Lalu Prasad Yadav (then Union Railway Minister) at highly discounted rates up to one-fourth to one-fifth of the prevailing market rates, according to the CBI.

The agency further stated that investigation has revealed that Lalu Prasad Yadav during the period 2007-08, when he was Minister of Railways, with the intent to acquire the land parcels situated in Vill- Mahuabagh, Patna and Vill-Kunjwa, Patna which were located adjacent to the land parcels already owned by his family members; entered into a criminal conspiracy with his wife Rabri Devi, daughter Misha Bharati, officers of Central Railways namely Sowmya Raghvan the then General Manager, Kamal Deep Mainrai, the then Chief Personnel Officer, and residents of Vill-Mahjabagh, Patna and Vill-Bindaul, Bihta, Patna and Patna City namely Raj Kumar Singh, Mithlesh Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Dharmendra Kumar, Vikas Kumar, Abhishek Kumar, Ravindra Ray, Kiran Devi, Akhileshwar Singh, Ramashish Singh.

According to the CBI, all of the candidates were later regularised after serving as substitutes.
In lieu of appointing them to the Railways, Lalu Prasad Yadav transferred lands owned by candidates and their family members into the names of his wife Rabri Devi and Misha Bharti for a much lower price than the prevailing circle rates and market rates.

The CBI filed the chargesheet against former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, their daughter Misa Bharti, and 13 others in the land-for-jobs scam in October last year.
The alleged scam occurred between 2004 and 2009, while Yadav was Railway Minister.