The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday filed a conclusive chargesheet against former Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and 77 other accused in the land for job case. This chargesheet also implicates 38 candidates. The CBI informed the court that the sanction from the competent authority is still awaited. Special CBI Judge Vishal Gogne has scheduled the matter for consideration on July 6, news agency ANI reported.
Previously, on May 29, the court had directed the CBI to file its conclusive chargesheet, expressing displeasure over the delay despite ample time given.
Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members, including his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejaswi Yadav, are named as accused in this scam. On October 4, 2023, the court granted bail to these prominent figures concerning a fresh chargesheet in the alleged scam.
According to the CBI, the second chargesheet names 17 accused, including the then Union Minister of Railways, his wife, son, the then General Manager of West Central Railways (WCR), two Chief Personnel Officers (CPOs) of WCR, private individuals, and a private company, ANI reported.
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Land For Job Scam Case
The investigation revealed that during 2004-2009, the then Union Minister of Railways received pecuniary advantages through the transfer of landed property in the names of his family members in exchange for appointing substitutes in Group "D" posts across various railway zones. Allegedly, no public notice or advertisement was issued for these appointments, yet candidates from Patna were employed in Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur, and Hazipur.
According to ANI's report, CBI stated that searches were conducted at multiple locations, including Delhi and Bihar. It was found that the minister conspired with associates and family members to acquire land parcels situated in key locations. This was done by offering Group D employment in the railways to candidates who, in turn, transferred their land to the minister's family members or a private company controlled by them.
The accused collected applications and documents through associates, forwarding them to West Central Railway for processing. The General Managers, influenced by the accused, approved these engagements, the report stated. The investigation also revealed that candidates were initially engaged as substitutes and later regularised.
During searches, a hard disk containing lists of engaged candidates was recovered. Further allegations include the purchase of a land parcel in the name of a private company for Rs. 10.83 lakh in 2007, which was later transferred to the minister's family members at a fraction of its market value. The total value of land parcels owned by the company was approximately Rs. 1.77 crore, yet it was transferred for a mere Rs. 1 lakh, as per ANI.
An earlier chargesheet was filed on October 7, 2022, against 16 accused.