Land-for-jobs case: CBI gets more time to file supplementary charge sheet

In return for appointments in the Railways, Yadav got lands owned by candidates transferred in his wife Devi’s and daughter Bharti’s names for much less than the prevailing market rates between 2004 and 2009

Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on June 1 granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) more time to file a supplementary charge sheet in the alleged land-for-jobs scam. Former Union Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav's daughter RJD MP Misa Bharti attended the hearing.

Special judge Geetanjali Goel on June 1 granted more time to the CBI after being informed that some new facts had to be included. However, the court expressed its displeasure to the CBI about the continued delays being introduced into the matter. The next date of hearing in the matter is July 12. The court has asked the agency to expedite the process.

Bihar's former CM Rabri Devi too was present at the court proceedings. Former Union Railway Minister Yadav had sought an exemption from appearance on medical grounds. On March 15, the same court granted regular bail to ex-Railways Minister Yadav, ex-Bihar CM Devi, their daughter-RJD MP Bharti and other accused in the land-for-jobs scam case.

In its charge sheet, the CBI had said that appointments were given to candidates in violation of the norms and procedures laid for recruitment to the Indian Railways. As a quid-pro-quo, the candidates directly or through their immediate relatives/family members, sold land to the family members of Yadav (then Union Railway Minister) at highly discounted rates up to 1/4th to 1/5th of the prevailing market rates, said the CBI.

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The agency further stated that investigation has revealed that Yadav during the period 2007-08, when he was Minister of Railways, with the intent to acquire land parcels situated in Vill- Mahuabagh, Patna, and Vill-Kunjwa, Patna, which were situated adjacent to the land parcels already owned by his family members, entered into a criminal conspiracy with his wife Devi, and daughter Bharti, Officers of Central Railways, namely Sowmya Raghvan, the then General Manager, Kamal Deep Mainrai, the then Chief Personnel Officer, and residents of Vill-Mahjabagh, Patna, and Vill-Bindaul, Bihta, Patna, and Patna City, namely Raj Kumar Singh, Mithlesh Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Dharmendra Kumar, Vikas Kumar, Abhishek Kumar, Ravindra Ray, Kiran Devi, Akhileshwar Singh, Ramashish Singh.

According to the CBI, all the candidates after their engagement as substitutes were subsequently regularised. In lieu of getting them appointed in Railways, Yadav got the lands owned by candidates and their family members transferred in the names of his wife Devi and daughter Bharti for a sale consideration that was much lower than the prevailing circle rates as well as the prevailing market rates.