Land for job CBI case: Court directs competent authority to grant sanction to prosecute public servants

Special judge Vishal Gogne passed the direction after he was informed by the CBI that the sanction was pending with the competent authority at the railway board. It may take two weeks to get the sanction.

Special public prosecutor for CBI DP Singh informed the court that they have been informed that it may take two more weeks for grant of sanction to prosecute.

The court said that it is okay the stand for last several dates. It is impressed upon the competent authority to expedite the process. Three Charge sheets and two supplementary charge sheets were filed in the court.

It is directed that competent authority grant sanction within one week. The matter is listed after two weeks. The court has listed the matter on November 26.

On September 20, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed sanction to Prosecute former Railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.

The CBI received sanction from the competent authority and filed it in the court. The CBI had informed the court that there are more than 30 other accused for whom prosecution sanction is awaited.

The CBI had sought 15 more days to obtain sanctions against other accused persons. The court had asked the CBI to expedite the process to obtain sanctions for other accused persons.

In July the court had asked the competent authority to decide the question of sanction of Prosecution against 32 public servants including former Railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. The conclusive charge sheet filed by the CBI on June 7 is at the stage of consideration.

Advocate Manu Mishra proxy counsel for SPP DP Singh informed the court that Prosecution sanction against accused public servants is awaited.

On June 7, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a conclusive charge sheet against Lalu Prasad Yadav and 77 other accused in a land-for-job case. The charge-sheeted accused also included 38 candidates.

On May 29, the court directed CBI to file its conclusive Charge sheet/Charge sheet in land for job case. The court had also expressed its displeasure over the non-filing of a conclusive charge sheet despite giving time. In this case, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi and Tejaswi Yadav are also accused.

On October 4, 2023, the court granted bail to former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Rabri Devi and others in relation to a fresh Chargesheet in the alleged Land for Job Scam case.

According to the CBI, the 2nd chargesheet is against 17 accused including the then Union Minister of Railways, his wife, son, then GM of West Central Railways(WCR), two CPOs of WCR, private persons, a private company 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.

On May 18, 2022, CBI registered a case against the then Union Minister of Railways and others including his wife, two daughters and unknown Public servants and Private persons.

It is alleged that the 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 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 CBI.

During the investigation, it was found that the then Union Minister of Railways with intent to acquire the land parcels situated at the places where his family already owned land parcels or the places that 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 /control of the accused accorded approval for the engagement of candidates, CBI said.

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, CBI said.

At the time of transfer, the company was allegedly owning land parcels purchased at a total cost of Rs 1.77 crore (approx) and it was transferred for a mere Rs 1 lakh(approx) only, however, the market value of the lands was much more, CBI added.

Earlier, a chargesheet was filed on October 7, 2022, against 16 accused. (ANI)