Land-for-job scam: CBI to file a supplementary charge sheet by February end

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday informed the Rouse Avenue Court that it will file a supplementary charge sheet by the end of February 2024.
The agency informed the court of Special CBI judge Vishal Gogne while giving a reply on an application moved by RJD leader Ahmed Ashfaq Karim for releasing an amount of cash worth Rs 13 lakh seized during the investigation.
Meanwhile, the court has kept the application pending until the filing of the supplementary charge sheet.
The matter was listed for February 27.
This case is at the stage of scrutiny of documents filed along with a charge sheet against Lalu Prasad Yadav, his family members, and other accused.
The counsel for Karim submitted that the applicant is not an accused in this case and the cash in question is not evidence, so it may be released immediately.
The CBI's special public prosecutor (SPP), D. P Singh filed a reply and submitted that the agency will file a supplementary charge sheet by the end of February next month.
He also submitted that the cash amount is unaccounted for. The investigation is at an advanced stage. The nature of the case amount may become more crystallised after filing the supplementary charge sheet.
The application may be taken up after the filing of the supplementary chargesheet, the SPP submitted.
On the last hearing on January 6, 2024, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sought time to file a 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 the CBI on an application moved by accused persons, including Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, and Tejaswi Yadav, seeking the 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 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 charge sheet in the 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 Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son, then GM of West Central Railways (WCR), then two CPOs of WCR, private persons, private companies, etc. in a case related to Land for Job Scam
The CBI filed a charge sheet in the land for jobs alleged scam case against former Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, including Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and others.
CBI had registered a case on May 18, 2022, 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 Union Minister of Railways during the period 2004-2009 obtained pecuniary advantages in the form of the transfer of landed property in the name of his family members, etc., in lieu of the 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 in Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur, and Hazipur.
Searches were earlier conducted at multiple places, including Delhi, Bihar, etc., said the CBI.
During the investigation, it was found that the then Union Minister of Railways, with the intent to acquire the land parcels situated at the places where his family was already owning land parcels or the places that were already connected to him, entered into a 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, the 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 and control of the accused, accorded approval for the 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 regularised. A hard disc 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 and son, the then Union Minister of Railways, by way of a transfer of shares at Rs. 1 lakh only. At the time of transfer, the company was allegedly owning land parcels purchased at a total cost of Rs 1.77 crore (approximately), and they were transferred for a mere Rs 1 lakh (approximately); however, the market value of the lands was much higher.
Earlier, a chargesheet was filed on July 7, 2022, against 16 accused.
"Investigation is continuing," the CBI informed the Court.