The CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) on Friday got a nod from the Ministry of Home Affairs to prosecute former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in land for job scam.
Although, the CBI is still awaiting prosecution sanction for more than 30 other accused individuals involved in the case. The agency has requested an additional 15 days from the court to secure the necessary sanctions against these remaining accused persons.
The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi has directed the central agency to speed up the process of obtaining the sanctions for the other accused. The court has scheduled the next hearing for the case on October 15.
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.
