The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed the second chargesheet against former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, their son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, and 14 others in connection with the alleged land-for-job scam. This is the first time that Tejashwi Yadav is being named in the case.
Among those arraigned are the then West Central Railway (WCR) general manager Maheep Kapur, then WCR chief personnel officers Manoj Pande and P.L. Bankar; A.K. Infosystems Private Limited; Dil Chand Kumar, Gyan Chand Rai, Hazari Rai, Mahesh Singh, Dhanif Ansari, Shatrudhan Rai, Vishwakarma Rai, Ashok Kumar Yadav, Ram Briksh Yadav and Rajnath Singh.
Also read: Explained | What is the alleged land-for-jobs scam involving former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad?
The agency had registered the case on May 18, 2022, against Mr. Prasad and others, including his wife, two daughters, and unknown public servants. It alleged that during 2004-2009, the appointment of several substitutes on the Group “D” posts was done in different zones of Railways in exchange for land parcels.
The substitutes, who were residents of Patna, themselves or through their family members, sold or gifted their land to Mr. Prasad’s family members and the private company controlled by them. The company was also involved in the transfer of such immovable properties in the name of his family members, as alleged by the agency.
According to the CBI, no advertisements or any public notice had allegedly been issued for the appointment of substitutes, yet the candidates in question were inducted in different zonal railways located in Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hazipur. Their applications and documents were collected through some persons and sent to the WCR for processing. Under the influence of the accused, the then general managers gave approvals. The substitutes were later regularised.
“A hard disk containing lists of candidates [who were engaged] was also recovered during searches. It was further alleged that a land parcel was purchased in the name of a private company at ₹10.83 lakh during 2007 and, subsequently, the said land along with some other land parcels purchased by the company was brought into the ownership/control of the wife and son of then Union Minister of Railways by way of transfer of shares at ₹1 lakh only,” said the CBI.
At the time of transfer, the company allegedly owned land parcels bought for about ₹1.77 crore and it was transferred for just ₹1 lakh, said the CBI.
Last month, in the same case, the agency had searched nine premises in Bihar, Delhi, Gurugram in Haryana and Rewari and Noida in Uttar Pradesh, linked to RJD MLA Kiran Devi, her husband Arun Singh, and Rajya Sabha member Prem Chand Gupta.
In October 2022, it had filed the first chargesheet against Mr. Prasad and 15 others, including his wife and eldest daughter Misa Bharti. In January, it also received sanction for the prosecution of the former Railway Minister.
Based on the CBI case, the Enforcement Directorate is conducting a money-laundering probe. It has been alleged that land parcels measuring about 1.05 lakh sq.ft in Patna was acquired by Mr. Prasad’s family members and in most cases, payments were shown in cash. The land parcels directly transferred to them were purchased at amounts ranging from ₹3.75 lakh to ₹13 lakh, allegedly lower than the then prevailing circle rates.
The ED had earlier alleged to have detected “proceeds of crime” currently worth ₹600 crore.
