Delhi Court Reserves Order on Charge Sheet in Land-for-Jobs Case Against Lalu and Family

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday reserved its order on taking cognisance of the final charge sheet filed against 78 accused, including former Bihar chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, in connection with the land-for-jobs scam. The hearing took place at Rouse Avenue Court, with the court set to pronounce its order on February 25.

Of the 78 accused, 30 are government employees. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) informed the court that prosecution approval had been granted against all government officials involved in the case.

The case pertains to alleged irregularities during Lalu’s tenure as railway minister in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government from 2004 to 2009. He is accused of appointing individuals to Group D positions in the Railways in exchange for land transfers to his family members. The names of his wife Rabri Devi and children, including Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav, have surfaced in the case.

The CBI claims that Lalu covertly facilitated jobs for 12 individuals in the Railways, securing land transfers in return. According to investigators, the family members of these job beneficiaries transferred land to Rabri, as well as Lalu’s daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav. These transactions allegedly involved cash payments at minimal rates.

The agency’s probe has reportedly identified at least seven instances where railway jobs were directly linked to land transfers involving the Lalu family. The preliminary investigation began in 2021 before being escalated into a formal case. Lalu, Rabri, Tejashwi, Misa, and Hema are among those facing trial in the Rouse Avenue Court.