Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi framed Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi in Central Bureau of Investigation Land-for-Job case, toward a trial. Special Judge Vishal Gogne cited conspiracy, cheating, and corruption offences, directing personal appearances and rejecting video conferencing without court permission.
NEW DELHI: The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi formally framed charges against former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi in the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) Land-for-Job case, setting the stage for a complete criminal trial.
Special CBI Judge Vishal Gogne charged them with criminal conspiracy, cheating, and offenses under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
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Both Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi attended the court, where they denied the allegations and stated their intention to face trial. The court indicated that the accused must appear in person for proceedings unless they receive specific permission to join via video conferencing.
However, Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter, Misa Bharti, cited age and health concerns, noting that the court had allowed her parents to appear by video conferencing when appropriate.
It is noteworthy that on January 6, the court had already framed charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav, Misa Bharti, and several others involved in the CBI case. This investigation centers around allegations that land parcels were given to the Yadav family and their associates in exchange for Group-D appointments in the Railways between 2004 and 2009. Further proceedings are set to continue in the trial court.
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The CBI has charged Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav, Hema Yadav, and others, claiming that jobs in the Indian Railways were exchanged for land parcels transferred to the family during Lalu Yadav’s tenure as Railway Minister. The Court had previously reserved its order on September 11 after extensive arguments from both sides.
Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) D.P. Singh, representing the CBI, argued that there was enough evidence to frame charges against all accused, asserting a clear quid pro quo involving Railway recruitment. In contrast, Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, representing Lalu Prasad Yadav, dismissed the allegations as “politically motivated,” asserting that there was no evidence of land transfers for government jobs.
He stated,
“There are registered sale deeds that show land was purchased for monetary consideration,”
He also added that no recruitment rules were violated and no undue favor was shown by the former minister. He further noted that no General Manager or railway official had claimed to be influenced by Lalu Prasad in recruitment decisions, stating,
“Merely calling him a kingpin is not sufficient. There is no evidence against him.”
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In related news, the Supreme Court had on July 18 declined a plea from Lalu Prasad Yadav seeking to stay the trial court’s proceedings concerning the land-for-jobs scam, stating that it would not intervene in what it considered a minor matter and allowing the High Court to address the main issue of quashing the chargesheet.
Earlier in May, the Delhi High Court dismissed a plea by the former Union Railway Minister to quash the FIR, chargesheets, and cognizance taken by the trial court related to the CBI’s investigation into the scam. In 2023, a Delhi court granted bail to Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Rabri Devi in connection with a new CBI chargesheet linked to the alleged land-for-job scam.
Special Judge Geetanjali Goel of the Rouse Avenue Court provided relief to the accused after they appeared in court following summons issued against them. In July 2023, the CBI filed a chargesheet against Lalu, his wife, and their son in relation to the alleged scam, marking the second chargesheet in the case. Aside from the three Yadav family members, the federal agency also implicated 14 individuals and entities in the chargesheet.
Case Title: CBI v. Lalu Prasad Yadav & Ors.