The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has got approval from the Home Ministry to proceed with the prosecution of Lalu Yadav in the Land for Job Scam. This development was disclosed by the CBI to the Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday, September 12. However, it is worth noting that the government has yet to grant permission for the prosecution of the three Railway officers who are also implicated in this case.
The CBI had submitted a supplementary charge sheet in this matter on July 3, and it marked the first appearance of Tejashwi Yadav’s name in the case. The CBI has implicated a total of 16 individuals in this case, including Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi. Among those accused are railway officials and individuals who obtained jobs through alleged fraudulent means. The CBI’s legal counsel has indicated that sanctions for prosecuting the railway officials are still pending but are expected to be granted within the next week.
The Land for Job Scam is a 14-year-old case that dates back to when Lalu Yadav served as the Railway Minister. The allegations suggest that during his tenure, Lalu Yadav facilitated the registration of land for individuals in exchange for providing them with jobs in the Railways. Lalu Yadav held the position of Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009. The CBI initiated a case in this regard on May 18. According to the CBI, individuals were initially hired as substitutes for Group D posts in the Railways and later regularized when their families engaged in land transactions. The CBI alleges that Lalu Yadav’s family acquired approximately 1.05 lakh square feet of land in Patna through cash transactions, indicating that these properties were purchased at significantly reduced prices.
ED Also Investigating the Scam
In addition to the CBI’s investigation into land-for-job bribery allegations, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting a separate probe into potential money laundering associated with this case. The CBI has already filed a charge sheet, and individuals closely associated with Lalu Yadav, such as former MLA Bhola Yadav and Hridayanand Chaudhary, have been named as accused parties. Bhola Yadav, who served as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for RJD leader Lalu Yadav, was arrested by the CBI on July 27.