Land for job CBI case: Court grants two weeks' time to CBI to file conclusive charge sheet

New Delhi [India], February 27 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) informed Delhi's Rouse Avenue court on Tuesday that it will file a concluding charge sheet in the land-for-jobs case within two weeks.
The investigation agency submitted before the court that its investigation is nearing conclusion and it will file a concluding charge sheet.
The Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday granted two weeks' time to CBI to file a conclusive charge sheet. Special judge Vishal Gogne granted time to the agency and listed the matter on March 14.
During the hearing the counsel for CBI urged for granting seven to 10 days to file a conclusive charge sheet.
On January 30, CBI had informed the court that it will file a supplementary charge sheet by the end of February 2024.
The agency had informed the court of Special CBI judge Vishal Gogne while giving reply on an application moved by RJD leader Ahmed Ashfaq Karim for releasing an amount of cash Rs. 13 lakh seized during investigation.
Meanwhile, the court has kept the application pending till the filing of the supplementary charge sheet.
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.
On the last hearing on January 6 this year, the CBI sought time to file reply on the applications of Lalu Prasad Yadav and others seeking supply of documents.
On December 20, 2023, the Rouse Avenue court sought a reply from CBI on application moved by accused persons including Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi and Tejaswi Yadav, seeking supply of documents filed along with the charge sheet.
Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi and Tejaswi Yadav are arrayed as accused in Land for Job Scam.
On October 4, 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 Chargesheet in alleged Land for Job Scam case.
According to the CBI, this is the second chargesheet in the designated court against 17 accused including then Union Minister of Railways, his wife, son, then GM of West Central Railways (WCR), then two CPOs of WCR, private persons, private company etc. in a case related to Land for Job Scam
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 then Union Minister of Railways during the period 2004-2009 had obtained pecuniary advantages in the form of transfer of landed property in the name of his family members etc. in lieu of appointment of Substitutes in Group "D" Post 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 & 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 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 earlier conducted at multiple places including in Delhi and Bihar etc, said 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 and 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 /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 regularized. A hard disk 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 / control of his wife & son of then Union Minister of Railways by way of transfer of shares at Rs.One Lakh only. At the time of transfer, the company was allegedly owning land parcels purchased at a total cost of Rs1.77 crore(approx) and it was transferred for a mere Rs.1 Lakh(approx) only, however, the market value of the lands was much more.
Earlier, a chargesheet was filed on October 7, 2022 against 16 accused. Investigation is continuing, CBI informed the court.