CBI team lands at Rabri Devi’s residence in connection with land for jobs scam case

The CBI team visited the residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi on Monday in connection with “further probe” in the land for jobs scam case, officials said. It was alleged in the FIR that some persons, although residents of Patna in Bihar, were appointed as substitutes in Group-D posts during the period 2004-2009 in different zones of the railways located in Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur, and Hajipur, and in lieu thereof, the individuals themselves or their family members transferred their land in the name of family members of Prasad and a company, AK Info systems Private Limited, which was subsequently taken over by family members of Prasad. It was further alleged that about 1,05,292 sq ft of land situated in Patna was acquired by the family members of Prasad from those persons through five sale deeds and two gift deeds, and in most of the sale deeds, payment to the sellers was mentioned to be paid in cash. The value of the land, as per the existing circle rate, was about Rs 4.39 crore. The land was directly purchased by the family members of Prasad from the sellers at a rate lower than the prevalent circle rate. The prevalent market value of the land was much higher than the circle rate. Procedures and guidelines issued by the railway authority for the appointment of substitutes were not followed, and later on, their services had also been regularised.