New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu has granted sanction to prosecute Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad in connection with the land-for-jobs scam in Indian Railways, marking a significant development in the ongoing investigation led by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
According to sources, the mandatory approval was given under Section 197(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 — a legal prerequisite for prosecuting a public servant. The case stems from a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR that alleges corruption during Lalu Prasad’s tenure as Union Railway Minister between 2004 and 2009.
The ED had filed a chargesheet in August last year under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Lalu Prasad, his son and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, and several other family members.
The CBI has accused Lalu Prasad of facilitating the appointment of Group D employees in Indian Railways in exchange for land parcels, which were allegedly transferred either directly or through intermediaries to his family members. The agency has filed three charge sheets in connection with the case.
Lalu Prasad, 76, who has already faced multiple legal battles in the past, including convictions in fodder scam cases, now finds himself once again under the scanner, this time in a matter that intertwines political power with personal enrichment.
