Patna: India’s supreme court has refused to quash a first information report in the so-called “land-for-jobs” case involving Lalu Prasad Yadav, handing a procedural boost to the investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Kotiswar Singh said there were no grounds to interfere with the FIR, allowing the case to proceed in the lower courts. The ruling means the CBI can continue its probe without legal obstruction at this stage.
The case centres on allegations that land parcels were taken from candidates or their families in exchange for appointments in the Indian Railways during Yadav’s tenure as railway minister. Investigators claim that these properties were transferred to relatives or close associates, in violation of recruitment norms.
Yadav, a prominent leader in Bihar politics, has denied wrongdoing. The case has long been a flashpoint in the state’s political discourse, with rival parties accusing him of corruption while his supporters have described the proceedings as politically motivated.
Legal proceedings against multiple accused have already been initiated, and the supreme court’s decision is expected to intensify scrutiny of the matter. Hearings will now continue in accordance with existing procedures.
The ruling is also likely to reverberate politically in Bihar, where opposition parties may seek to capitalise on the development. For now, attention remains on the next phase of court proceedings and the direction of the CBI’s investigation.
