Delhi Court Says Lalu Yadav Ran ‘Criminal Enterprise’ in Land-for-Jobs Case
Delhi court frames charges in land-for-jobs scam case.
A Delhi court on Friday delivered a scathing indictment, declaring that RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family operated as a criminal enterprise in the alleged Railways land-for-jobs scam. Special Judge Vishal Gogne, while framing charges of corruption and criminal conspiracy, observed sufficient grounds to establish a widespread conspiracy orchestrated by Yadav and his relatives during his tenure as Union Railway Minister.
The court dismissed pleas for acquittal, stating that evidence presented by the Central Bureau of Investigation indicated an overarching plot where public employment was exploited to acquire valuable land parcels. Charges were formally framed against 46 accused individuals, including Lalu Yadav, his family members, and several associates, while discharging the remaining 52 from the list of 98 surviving defendants.
According to the CBI chargesheet, between 2004 and 2009, Group D railway positions were irregularly allotted to candidates without adhering to proper recruitment procedures. In return, these appointees or their relatives transferred land properties in Patna and elsewhere to Yadav family members or entities controlled by them, often at nominal prices through sale deeds or gifts.
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Judge Gogne emphasized that Lalu Yadav's close aides were implicated as active participants, reinforcing the prosecution's narrative of systematic abuse of official authority for personal gain. The court highlighted that the family functioned collectively to leverage ministerial power for illegal property accumulation.
The Yadav family has consistently rejected the allegations, terming the case a politically motivated vendetta. With charges now framed, the trial will proceed, marking a significant development in the long-running investigation into irregularities during Lalu Prasad Yadav's stint as Railway Minister.
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