Land for Job scam: CBI files supplementary chargesheet in Delhi Court

New Delhi [India], March 6 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday filed supplementary chargesheet in the alleged land for job scam. Chargesheet has been filed before special Judge Vishal Gogne by the CBI's Special Public Prosecutor DP Singh. The court has listed the matter for hearing arguments on taking cognizance on March 14, 2024.
The chargesheet has been filed against three accused -- two candidates, Ashok Kumar and Babita and Bhola Yadav, who was the personal secretary of Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Special public prosecutor (SPP) D. P. Singh along with advocate Manu Mishra, appearing for CBI submitted that, "Bhola Yadav was the secretary of Lalu, he was the one who was managing and it was his directions that were going to the officers. Some of the documentary evidence were also retrieved from his computer".
In the case, the Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi earlier in 2023 issued summons against former Union railways minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi and 14 others in connection with alleged land-for-job-scam.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed the main chargesheet in October 2022, against former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, their daughter Misa Bharti and 13 others in the land-for-jobs scam.
Chargesheet stated that "During investigation, it has been found that the accused in conspiracy with the then GM Central Railways and CPO, Central Railways engaged persons as substitutes in lieu of land either in their name or in the name of their close relatives. This land was acquired at prices lower than the prevailing circle rate and much lower than the market rate. It was also alleged that the candidates have used false TC and submitted false attested documents to the Ministry of Railways," the CBI claimed in a press statement.
The alleged scam occurred when Yadav was Railway Minister between 2004 and 2009. Apart from the RJD leader, the chargesheet also includes the name of the then Railway General Manager.
CBI stated that investigation had revealed that the candidates were considered for their engagement without any need for substitutes and there was no urgency for their appointment which was one of the main criteria behind the engagement of substitutes and they joined their duties much later from the approval of their appointment and they were subsequently regularised.
There were several anomalies found in the applications of the candidates and the documents that were enclosed due to which the applications should not have been processed and their engagement should not have been approved but it was done. Further, in most of the cases, the candidates joined their jobs in respective divisions on much later dates which defeated the purpose of appointment of Substitutes and in some cases, the candidates could not clear their medical examination under the required category to which their engagement was made and subsequently they were considered and appointed on the posts where inferior/ lower medical category was required, said the CBI.