Non-eligible candidates appointed in Railway, who sold their land to Lalu Yadav family: CBI

Irregular appointments were made in Central Railway, violating the laid down norms and procedures of Indian Railways for recruitment, CBI stated in its chargesheet files in connection with the alleged land-for-job scam.

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 1/4th to 1/5th of the prevailing market rates, stated CBI. CBI further stated that investigation has revealed that Lalu Prasad Yadav during the period 2007-08. When he was Minister of Railways, Govt. of India with the intent to acquire the land parcels situated in Vill- Mahuabagh, Patna and Vill-Kunjwa, Patna which were situated 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 the candidates after their engagement as substitutes were subsequently regularised.

In lieu of appointing them to the Railways, Lalu Prasad Yadav transferred the lands owned by the 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.

In connection with an alleged land-for-jobs scam, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi recently issued summons to former Union Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, and 14 others.