New Delhi, Oct 4 : In a development on October 4th, a Delhi court has granted bail to the prominent figures in the political sphere, including RJD chief Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, in connection with the alleged land-for-job scam within the railways.
Special Judge Geetanjali Goel provided this relief to the accused after they made an appearance in court in response to summons issued against them. The court had issued these summons on September 22nd, following the cognizance of a charge sheet filed against the accused, which indicated prima facie evidence of various offenses such as corruption, criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had submitted the charge sheet on July 3rd in relation to the alleged scam. Notably, Lalu Prasad is already out on bail in this case, as well as in the fodder scam cases.
This was the second charge sheet filed by the CBI in the matter, but the first to include Tejashwi Yadav as an accused. The case centers around Group-D appointments made within the West Central Zone of the railways, located in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. These appointments reportedly occurred during Lalu Prasad’s tenure as the railway minister from 2004 to 2009. Allegedly, they were made in exchange for land parcels that were either gifted or transferred to the RJD supremo’s family or associates.
The CBI initiated this case on May 18, 2022, naming Lalu Prasad and 15 others, including his wife, two daughters, and unidentified public servants and private individuals, as the accused. The agency had previously filed the first charge sheet in October of the previous year, implicating Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, and others in connection with appointments made in the Mumbai-headquartered Central Zone of the railways.
