A Delhi court is set to pronounce its order on framing of charges in the alleged land-for-jobs case involving former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family. The decision will determine whether the CBI case accusing them of illegal railway appointments in exchange for land will proceed to trial.
New Delhi: A Delhi court is expected to pass its order on Friday on whether charges should be formally framed in the alleged land-for-jobs scam involving RJD chief and former Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his family members and several others.
The case is being heard by Special Judge Vishal Gogne, who had earlier reserved the order after hearing arguments from both sides. While doing so on December 19, the judge clearly stated,
“the order upon charge shall be pronounced at 10:30 am on January 9”.
The case has been filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has accused Lalu Yadav and his associates of misusing his official position during his tenure as railway minister between 2004 and 2009.
During the court proceedings, the CBI submitted a verification report informing the court about the status of the accused persons. According to the agency, out of the total 103 accused named in the chargesheet, five have died.
The CBI has filed chargesheets against Lalu Yadav, his wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, their son Tejashwi Yadav, and several others. The agency has alleged that during Lalu Yadav’s time as railway minister, appointments to Group-D posts in the West Central Railway Zone, based in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, were made in exchange for land.
As per the prosecution, the people who were given railway jobs allegedly transferred or gifted land parcels in the names of Lalu Yadav’s family members or close associates. The agency has claimed that these appointments were not made as per railway recruitment rules and norms.
The CBI further alleged that the land transactions involved benami properties and that the entire exercise amounted to criminal misconduct and criminal conspiracy under the law.
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On the other hand, all the accused have strongly denied the allegations. They have claimed that the case has been filed due to political reasons and is aimed at targeting them unfairly.
The court’s decision on framing of charges will decide whether the trial in the much-talked-about land-for-jobs case will formally move forward.
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