New Delhi/Patna: The Central Government has approved the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to prosecute former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad in the ongoing land-for-jobs case. The CBI informed the Rouse Avenue Court of the government’s decision, paving the way for legal action against the former Bihar Chief Minister.
On September 18, the Rouse Avenue Court issued summonses to Lalu, his son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, and other accused in the case. For the first time, the court also summoned Lalu’s elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, along with Akhileshwar Singh and his wife, Kiran Devi.
The court noted that Tej Pratap Yadav’s involvement could not be ruled out, highlighting his role as a former director of AK Infosystem Limited. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed a supplementary chargesheet on August 6 against 11 accused, four of whom are deceased. The list includes Lallan Chaudhary, Hazari Rai, Dharmendra Kumar, Akhileshwar Singh, Ravinder Kumar, late Lal Babu Rai, Sonamtia Devi, late Kishun Dev Rai, and Sanjay Rai.
The court requested a death certificate for Lallan Chaudhary, whose wife had submitted a post-mortem report. The next hearing is scheduled for October 7, when all accused must appear before the court.
Kiran Devi, summoned by the court, is a resident of Patna who sold 80,905 square feet of land to Lalu’s daughter, Misa Bharti, in November 2007 for just Rs. 3.70 lakh. Following the sale, Kiran Devi’s son, Abhishek Kumar, secured a job in Central Railway Mumbai in 2008.
On August 13, the investigating agency presented 96 new documents related to the case. The ED has already filed charges against other accused, including former Bihar CM Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, and Hema Yadav.
In January 2024, ED officials interrogated Lalu and Tejashwi for over 10 hours in Delhi and Patna as part of the ongoing investigation. During his questioning on January 29, Lalu faced over 50 questions, often responding with terse answers. Tejashwi underwent a similar questioning session the following day, lasting around 11 hours. The ED’s probe continues as the case unfolds, with the next court session anticipated to shed more light on the accusations.
