Land-for-Job Case: CBI Files Charge Sheet Against Lalu Prasad Yadav and 77 Others

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted a conclusive charge sheet against Lalu Prasad Yadav and 77 others in the land-for-job case. Among the accused are also 38 candidates implicated in the scandal. This development follows a directive from the court on May 29, expressing dissatisfaction with the delay in filing the charge sheet.

In this case, Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members are also accused. On October 4, 2023, the court had granted bail to former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Rabri Devi, and others concerning a fresh Charge sheet in the alleged Land for Job Scam case.

According to the CBI, the 2nd charge sheet is against 17 accused, including the then Union Minister of Railways, his wife, son, then GM of West Central Railways(WCR), two CPOs of WCR, private persons, a private company, etc., in a case related to Land for Job Scam.

The CBI filed a charge sheet in Land for Job alleged scam case against former Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, including Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and others.

CBI had registered a case on 18.05.2022 against the then Union Minister of Railways and others, including his wife, two daughters, and unknown Public servants and Private persons.

It is alleged that the then Union Minister of Railways, during the period 2004-2009, had obtained pecuniary advantages in the form of the transfer of landed property in the name of his family members, etc., instead of appointment of Substitutes in Group “D” Post in different Zones of Railways.

Earlier, a charge sheet was filed on October 7, 2022, against 16 accused.

Key Details:

Accusations Against Lalu Prasad Yadav: The former Railway Minister and his family members are among those accused in the land-for-job scam.

Bail Granted: Lalu Prasad Yadav, along with Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and Rabri Devi, had been granted bail in October 2023 concerning a fresh charge sheet in the case.

Allegations by the CBI: The investigation revolves around accusations that Lalu Prasad Yadav, during his tenure as Union Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009, obtained financial benefits by transferring land to his family members instead of appointing substitutes in Group “D” posts in various railway zones.

Modus Operandi: The CBI alleges that candidates were offered group D employment in the railways in exchange for land parcels. These individuals were subsequently appointed as substitutes and then regularized, enabling the acquisition of land for the accused.

Scope of Investigation: The probe encompassed multiple locations, including Delhi and Bihar, with searches conducted to gather evidence.

Complex Scheme: The scheme allegedly involved orchestrating appointments without public notices or advertisements, appointing candidates from Patna to various railway zones, and transferring land parcels to family members at undervalued rates.