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Synopsis

A Delhi Court on Friday summoned former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and others in relation to a fresh chargesheet in alleged land for job scam case.

While taking cognizance of a fresh chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Special Judge Geetanjali Goel of Rouse Avenue Court issued summons against all the accused persons. The matter will hear the matter next on October 4, 2023. 

Notably, on July 12, the judge had granted CBI time till August 8 to obtain sanction to prosecute former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and some officials of the public sector transport in the case. Court had granted CBI time after the central probe agency made a prayer to that effect.

“It is stated that sanction has still not been received in respect of accused Lalu Prasad Yadav (A-1), Maheep Kapur (A8), Manoj Pande (A-9) and Dr. P.L. Bankar (A-10) and is awaited. Put up for same on 08.08.2023”, the court had ordered.

The court had also noted that the documents were stated to be complete.

On July 3, CBI had filed a chargesheet against Lalu, who continues to be the national president of the RJD, his wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, and their son and the State's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav in connection with the alleged scam.

It was the second chargesheet filed by CBI in the case. Besides the three members of the Yadav family, the federal agency had also named 14 individuals and entities in the chargesheet.

The accused have been charged under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

The CBI’s case is that Lalu Prasad Yadav, as Railways Minister from 2004 to 2009, received financial benefits in form of transfer of land property in the names of his family members in exchange for the appointment of substitutes in Group "D" posts in various Railway zones such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Jabalpur, and Hajipur.

CBI alleged that “in lieu thereof, the substitutes, who were residents of Patna themselves or through their family members sold and gifted their land situated at Patna in favor of the family members of Lalu Prasad Yadav and a private company controlled by family members, which was also involved in the transfer of such immovable properties in the name of family members.”

CBI also alleged that no advertisement or public notice was issued for the appointment of Substitutes in Zonal Railways, yet substitutes from Patna were appointed as substitutes in different Zonal Railways and that undue haste was shown in processing candidates' applications and their appointments as substitutes were approved. Furthermore, the agency alleged that the due procedure and guidelines/instructions issued by the Railway Authority for the appointment of Substitutes in Railways were not followed and later on, their services had also been regularized.

Notably, CBI filed the first charge sheet in the case in October last year against Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi and others. It pertained to appointments made in Mumbai-headquartered Central Zone of the Railways.

Case Title: CBI v. Lalu Prasad Yadav etc