A Delhi court on Friday charged Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, children Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav, Misa Bharti and several others with corruption and criminal conspiracy in the alleged Railways land-for-jobs scam.
Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue courts passed the order.
The Court has charged Lalu Yadav with the offence of corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act along with other offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). His family members have been charged with cheating and criminal conspiracy.
The cases concerns allegations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that during Yadav's tenure as Union Railway Minister between 2004 to 2009, he granted Group D jobs to candidates in exchange for land parcels transferred to his family at nominal prices.
As per the allegations, several job seekers or their relatives allegedly sold or gifted land in Patna and other areas to Lalu’s family and associated companies. Investigators claim that no public recruitment process was followed and that these transactions constituted a quid pro quo arrangement.
The Yadav family has denied the allegations, stating that they are politically motivated.
Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing the money laundering angle in the case and has attached properties worth over ₹600 crore as proceeds of crime.
In the order read in the court today, Judge Gogne said that Lalu Yadav and his family members were operating as a criminal enterprise and were involved in an overarching conspiracy, and used public employment as a bargaining chip to obtain properties.
It held that the chargesheet shows that Lalu Yadav’s close associates facilitated the acquisition of land in lieu of jobs in the railways and placements across the country
“The plea of Mr Lalu Yadav and his family members to be discharged is completely unwarranted,” the Court said.
It added that the Ministry of Railways was used a personal fiefdom by Lalu Yadav.
The Court ultimately said that of the 98 surviving accused in the case, it is framing charges against 46 people (including Lalu Yadav and his family) and discharging 52.
The CBI was represented through Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) DP Singh and Advocates Manu Mishra, Imaan Khera and Garima Saxena.
Senior Advocate Maninder Singh with Advocates Varun Jain, Navin Kumar and Satish Kumar appeared for Lalu Yadav.