NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) informed a Delhi court on Friday that it has secured the necessary sanctions from relevant authorities to prosecute former railway minister Lalu Prasad in a corruption case related to the alleged land-for-jobs scam. The CBI submitted the sanctions to Special Judge Vishal Gogne.
The agency also notified the court that there were approximately 30 additional accused individuals in the case for whom prosecution sanction was still pending.The CBI requested the court to grant an additional 15 days to allow them to obtain the required documents.
The court instructed the CBI to expedite the process of obtaining sanctions for the remaining accused and scheduled the next hearing for October 15.
According to officials, the case involves Group-D appointments made in the West Central Zone of the railways based in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, during Lalu Prasad’s tenure as the railway minister from 2004 to 2009. These appointments were allegedly made in exchange for land parcels gifted or transferred by the recruits to the RJD supremo’s family or associates.
The CBI initiated the case on May 18, 2022, against Prasad and 15 others, including his wife, two daughters, unidentified public servants, and private individuals.
The case centers around the tenure of Lalu Prasad Yadav as the railway minister in the UPA-1 government from 2004 to 2009. During this period, it is alleged that numerous individuals were appointed to Group “D” positions across various zones of the Indian Railways. In exchange for these appointments, the people allegedly transferred their land to Prasad’s family members and a connected company, A K Infosystems Private Limited.
The ED has previously stated that A K Infosystems Private Limited is considered a “beneficiary company” in the case, with its registered address in New Friends Colony, south Delhi, being used by Tejashwi Yadav. Katyal, identified as a “close associate” of the Yadav family, has been named as a director of this company by the agency. Furthermore, A B Exports Pvt Ltd, owned by Tejashwi Yadav and Chanda Yadav, is alleged to be a “shell” or fake company, also registered at the New Friends Colony bungalow.
According to PTI reports, the ED had alleged that Rabri Devi and Hema Yadav “illegally” acquired four land parcels from appointees in the Railways and sold them to Meridian Construction India Ltd., a company associated with Syed Abu Dojana, a former RJD MLA. The ED has already charge-sheeted former Bihar CM Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, Hema, and other accused in this case. The “proceeds of crime” obtained by Rabri Devi and Hema Yadav through this transaction were then allegedly transferred through a complex network of transactions to A B Exports Pvt Ltd and Bhagirathi Tubes. The ED has claimed, “Rabri Devi and Hema Yadav sold these land parcels for Rs 3.5 crore against the acquisition cost of Rs 7.5 lakh, thus deriving huge gains.”
The ED’s PMLA investigation had claimed that the family of the then Rail Mantri, Lalu Prasad Yadav, illegally acquired several pieces of land at prominent locations in Patna and other areas in exchange for jobs provided by the railways. The current market value of these land parcels is estimated to exceed Rs 200 crore. The investigation has identified several benamidars, shell entities, and beneficial owners of these lands. The ED also stated that in many railway Zones, more than 50% of recruited candidates were from Lalu Yadav’s families’ constituencies.
The agency also notified the court that there were approximately 30 additional accused individuals in the case for whom prosecution sanction was still pending.The CBI requested the court to grant an additional 15 days to allow them to obtain the required documents.
The court instructed the CBI to expedite the process of obtaining sanctions for the remaining accused and scheduled the next hearing for October 15.
According to officials, the case involves Group-D appointments made in the West Central Zone of the railways based in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, during Lalu Prasad’s tenure as the railway minister from 2004 to 2009. These appointments were allegedly made in exchange for land parcels gifted or transferred by the recruits to the RJD supremo’s family or associates.
The CBI initiated the case on May 18, 2022, against Prasad and 15 others, including his wife, two daughters, unidentified public servants, and private individuals.
The case centers around the tenure of Lalu Prasad Yadav as the railway minister in the UPA-1 government from 2004 to 2009. During this period, it is alleged that numerous individuals were appointed to Group “D” positions across various zones of the Indian Railways. In exchange for these appointments, the people allegedly transferred their land to Prasad’s family members and a connected company, A K Infosystems Private Limited.
The ED has previously stated that A K Infosystems Private Limited is considered a “beneficiary company” in the case, with its registered address in New Friends Colony, south Delhi, being used by Tejashwi Yadav. Katyal, identified as a “close associate” of the Yadav family, has been named as a director of this company by the agency. Furthermore, A B Exports Pvt Ltd, owned by Tejashwi Yadav and Chanda Yadav, is alleged to be a “shell” or fake company, also registered at the New Friends Colony bungalow.
According to PTI reports, the ED had alleged that Rabri Devi and Hema Yadav “illegally” acquired four land parcels from appointees in the Railways and sold them to Meridian Construction India Ltd., a company associated with Syed Abu Dojana, a former RJD MLA. The ED has already charge-sheeted former Bihar CM Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, Hema, and other accused in this case. The “proceeds of crime” obtained by Rabri Devi and Hema Yadav through this transaction were then allegedly transferred through a complex network of transactions to A B Exports Pvt Ltd and Bhagirathi Tubes. The ED has claimed, “Rabri Devi and Hema Yadav sold these land parcels for Rs 3.5 crore against the acquisition cost of Rs 7.5 lakh, thus deriving huge gains.”
The ED’s PMLA investigation had claimed that the family of the then Rail Mantri, Lalu Prasad Yadav, illegally acquired several pieces of land at prominent locations in Patna and other areas in exchange for jobs provided by the railways. The current market value of these land parcels is estimated to exceed Rs 200 crore. The investigation has identified several benamidars, shell entities, and beneficial owners of these lands. The ED also stated that in many railway Zones, more than 50% of recruited candidates were from Lalu Yadav’s families’ constituencies.
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