Lalu Prasad: The Delhi court will decide tomorrow whether to file charges against and Tejashwi Yadav in the land-for-job case
Lalu Prasad: On Friday, a Delhi court will rule on whether to file charges against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad Yadav and his relatives in the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) alleged land-for-job corruption case.
The judgment about whether charges should be brought against Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, sons Tejashwi and Tej Pratap Yadav, daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav, and other accused is expected to be made by Rouse Avenue Courts’ Special Judge (PC Act), Vishal Gogne.
All of the accused, including the Lalu family, received summonses at the most recent hearing and are anticipated to show up in court on Friday.
On December 19, Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Courts reserved his decision regarding whether the accused in the alleged land-for-job corruption case should be charged under Sections 120B, 420, 467, 468, and 471 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in addition to provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The lawsuit concerns claims of “large-scale corruption” during Lalu Prasad’s tenure as Union Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009.
The CBI claims that land lots were purchased in the names of Lalu’s relatives and a business connected to them, sometimes for less than market value and mostly in cash transactions. Railway employment were purportedly given in different zones in exchange.
Lalu Prasad Yadav, former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, MP Misa Bharti, Hema Yadav, and former minister Tej Pratap Yadav are among the 103 suspects in the case identified by the Central agency.
However, with the deaths of the five accused, the procedures against them have slowed. Lalu Prasad’s prosecution in the matter has already received approval from the Union Home Ministry.
At the same time, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is looking into the suspected money-laundering trail connected to Patna land deals.
In a related event, Tejashwi Yadav filed a petition contesting a trial court ruling that ordered the laying of criminal charges against him and his family members in the alleged IRCTC hotel fraud case, and the Delhi High Court on Tuesday sent notice to the CBI on the application.
Tejashwi Yadav has challenged in his plea the Rouse Avenue Court’s ruling that found enough evidence to prosecute him and other defendants for crimes including criminal conspiracy, corruption, and deception in relation to the IRCTC fraud.