CBI raises concerns over suspicious recruitment in Indian Railways under Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure. Agency highlights unverified certificates and land-for-job exchanges in ongoing legal proceedings.
New Delhi: Today, on June 03, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) presented its arguments before the court regarding the framing of charges in the ongoing land-for-job scam.
The CBI questioned how all applicants for Group D posts in some Indian Railways zones could come from just one state, raising serious doubts about the recruitment process.
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In this case, former Railway Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, his family members, some former public officials, and job seekers have been accused of involvement in corruption.
According to the allegations, Lalu Prasad Yadav provided government jobs in Indian Railways in return for land from the candidates or their relatives. The land was either taken as a gift or bought at very low prices.
As per the CBI, around one lakh square feet of land was acquired for just Rs 26 lakh, which indicates a major undervaluation. The agency claimed that this was not a coincidence and alleged a clear pattern of corruption and favouritism.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne is hearing the matter. On Monday, senior advocate and Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) DP Singh, representing the CBI, made strong arguments before the court. The judge has listed the case for the next hearing on Wednesday.
SPP DP Singh pointed out that there was unusual pressure to clear the applications quickly.
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He said,
“There was enormous pressure to clear the application.” He also highlighted that “Multiple applications were cleared the same day.”
Singh questioned how such a complex and time-consuming recruitment process could be completed so fast.
He asked,
“Why does it happen so quickly?”
He also added,
“The process was so tedious.”
In a significant claim, he pointed out that
“The certificates were never verified,”
raising serious concerns about the authenticity of the recruitment.
The CBI further stated that it had enough evidence to show that cash transactions took place with the individuals whose land was sold to Lalu Prasad Yadav either directly or indirectly at discounted prices. According to the agency, these people were later appointed to railway jobs as part of the alleged scam.
The matter has already been discussed in the Delhi High Court. On May 31, the Delhi HC rejected Lalu Prasad Yadav’s plea to stop the trial court proceedings. Justice Ravinder Dudeja ruled that there was no strong reason to pause the case and said Yadav could argue his case during the charge framing stage.
Justice Dudeja said,
“Yadav remains free to present his arguments before the trial court at the charge consideration stage,”
adding that there were
“no compelling reasons to halt proceedings.”
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Lalu Prasad Yadav, had earlier requested the court to cancel the FIR.
He argued that the CBI had not obtained the required approval before beginning their investigation. He said that while approval was taken for other accused persons, it was not taken in Lalu Prasad Yadav’s case.
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The CBI opposed this plea, saying the petition was not maintainable. It said that under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, no approval was needed in this case.
Case Title:
CBI vs. Lalu Prasad Yadav & Others
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