Land for Job scam: Delhi Court summons Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi; takes cognizance of CBI chargesheet

New Delhi: Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Monday issued summons against former Union Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi and 14 others in connection with alleged land-for-job-scam.

Special Judge Geetanjali Goel issued a summons to the accused persons for March 15 while taking cognizance of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chargesheet filed against them on Monday. Court said,"After going through the chargesheet and the documents and material on record, prima facie shows the commission of offences under Section 120B read with Sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 IPC and Sections 8, 9, 11, 12, 13 (2) read with Section 13 (1) (d) of PC Act, 1988 and substantive offences thereof. Accordingly, cognizance is taken of the said offences."

CBI had filed the chargesheet in October last year, against former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, their daughter Misa Bharti and 13 others in the land-for-jobs scam.

Chargesheet stated that during the investigation, it was 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, said the CBI statement.
The alleged scam occurred between 2004 and 2009 when Lalu Yadav was the Railway Minister. Apart from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief, the chargesheet also includes the name of the then Railway General Manager.

CBI stated that the 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 their respective divisions on many 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. (ANI)