Land for job case: Court directs CBI to file conclusive charge sheet, expresses displeasure over seeking time

New Delhi [India], May 29 : The Rouse Avenue Court directed CBI to file its conclusive charge sheet in the Land for Job case. The court also expressed its displeasure over non-filing of conclusive charge sheet despite giving time.
In this case, Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members are also accused.
Special CBI judge Vishal Gogne expressed his displeasure over the CBI seeking time on every date to file the charge sheet. The court refused to grant more time to the agency.
The court said, "We are directing you to file the conclusive charge sheet. At times, the court has to use its power."
The court directed to file the conclusive charge sheet by June 7, the next date of hearing.
The counsels of the parties sought date in July. The court said that the counsels may join through video conferencing.
The CBI has been seeking time since the beginning of this year.
This case is at the stage of scrutiny of documents filed along with charge sheet against Lalu Prasad Yadav, his family members and other accused.
Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi and Tejaswi Yadav are arrayed as accused in Land for Job Scam.
On October 4, 2023, the court had granted bail to former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Rabri Devi and others in in relation to fresh charge sheet in alleged Land for Job Scam case.
According to the CBI, the second chargesheet is against 17 accused, including the Union Minister of Railways, his wife, son, the GM of West Central Railways (WCR), two CPOs of WCR, private persons, private companies, etc. in a case related to Land for Job Scam
The CBI filed a chargesheet in Land for Job alleged scam case against former Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, including Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and others.
CBI had registered a case on May 18, 2022, against then Union Minister of Railways and others, including his wife, two daughters and unknown public servants and private persons.
It is alleged that the Union Minister of Railways during the period 2004-2009 obtained pecuniary advantages in the form of the transfer of landed property in the name of his family members, etc., in lieu of the appointment of substitutes in Group "D" posts in different Zones of Railways. It was further alleged that in lieu thereof, the substitutes, who were residents of Patna themselves or through their family members, sold and gifted their land situated at Patna in favour of the family members of said Minister and a private company controlled by his family members, which was also involved in the transfer of such immovable properties in the name of said family members.
It was also alleged that no advertisement or any public notice was issued for such appointments of substitutes in Zonal Railways, yet the appointees who were residents of Patna were appointed as Substitutes in different Zonal Railways located at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hazipur.
Searches were conducted at multiple places, including in Delhi and Bihar, etc., said the CBI.
During investigation, it was found that then Union Minister of Railways, with intent to acquire the land parcels situated at the places where his family was already owning land parcels or the places which were already connected to him, entered into conspiracy with associates & family members and allegedly derived a design to grab the land of various land owners by offering / providing group D employment in Railways, CBI said.
The accused had allegedly collected applications and documents of such candidates through associates and then sent those to West Central Railway for processing and providing jobs in railways, and the General Managers of West Central Railways, under the influence and control of accused, accorded approval for engagement of candidates.
For providing jobs in railways, they allegedly devised an indirect way wherein the candidates were engaged firstly as substitutes and subsequently, were regularised. A hard disc 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 Rs. 10.83 lakh during 2007, and subsequently, the said land, along with some other land parcels purchased by the said company, were brought into the ownership and control of his wife and son, the then Union Minister of Railways, by way of a transfer of shares at Rs 1 lakh only. At the time of transfer, the company was allegedly owning land parcels purchased at a total cost of Rs 1.77 crore (approximately), and it was transferred for a mere Rs 1 lakh (approximately); however, the market value of the lands were much higher.