A Delhi court will likely review a supplementary charge sheet against Lalu Prasad, his son Tejashwi Yadav, and eight others in the land-for-jobs scam on September 13. Today(7th September), Special Judge Vishal Gogne scheduled the hearing after determining no additional clarification from the ED was needed.
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NEW DELHI: A Delhi court is expected to take cognisance of a supplementary charge sheet in the high-profile land-for-jobs scam case involving former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his son and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, and eight others on September 13.
Today(7th September), Special Judge Vishal Gogne deferred the order after noting that additional clarifications were needed from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is handling the investigation.
The matter has now been listed for further consideration on September 13.
The ED filed the supplementary charge sheet against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, and several others on August 6, following an initial FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). According to the ED, the scam allegedly occurred between 2004 and 2009, during Lalu Prasad’s tenure as Railway Minister. During this period, it is claimed that Group-D appointments were made in the West Central Zone of the Indian Railways in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. The appointments were allegedly offered in exchange for land parcels that were gifted or transferred to Lalu Prasad’s family members and close associates.
The ED has been investigating this matter in depth, with a strong emphasis on the money laundering aspects of the case. The supplementary charge sheet filed in August includes details of the financial transactions, land transfers, and alleged quid-pro-quo arrangements.
Initially, the court was set to consider the supplementary charge sheet on August 24. However, the decision was postponed after Special Judge Vishal Gogne sought further clarifications from the ED. During the proceedings, the judge noted:
“Some clarifications are required before cognisance can be taken of the supplementary charge sheet,”
-highlighting the complexities of the case.
The matter was then deferred to September 7, and now subsequently to September 13, awaiting a final decision on whether the court will formally take cognisance of the charge sheet.
The court also addressed the death of one of the accused, Lallan Chaudhary, whose demise was reported by the ED. According to the agency, Chaudhary’s wife confirmed his death, and a post-mortem report was submitted as evidence. However, a death certificate has not yet been issued by the local panchayat authorities.
“An examination of the supplementary complaint indicates that the proposed additional accused No. 10, Lallan Chaudhary, is reported to have died. However, no death certificate has been submitted; only a report from the police regarding Lallan Chaudhary’s alleged death has been provided.”
– the court observed, adding that the ED is directed to file the death certificate by the next hearing date.
The ED assured the court that the death certificate would be provided as soon as it is issued, explaining that the delay was due to administrative formalities at the panchayat level.
In total, three of the accused in the case have passed away, according to the ED’s submission. This fact adds another layer of complexity to the proceedings, as the deaths of key individuals in the case could potentially affect the outcome or the approach of the prosecution.
The land-for-jobs scam centers around alleged corrupt practices during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure as Railway Minister. The scam is said to have involved appointments to Group-D positions in the railways in exchange for land transfers. The land parcels in question were allegedly transferred to members of Lalu Prasad’s family or to close associates, in return for ensuring that individuals were recruited to these positions.
The ED’s investigation follows up on the original FIR lodged by the CBI, which had initially flagged the alleged corruption and irregularities in the appointments. The CBI’s probe had laid the groundwork for the ED’s current investigations into the money laundering aspects of the scandal.
