Rouse Avenue Court To Hear Land-For-Jobs Scam Cases On January 16-17

Rouse Avenue Court will hear two key cases in the Land-for-Jobs scam in mid-January. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case is scheduled for January 16, while the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case will be heard on January 17.

Prosecution Delays and Permissions

The hearing was postponed as a key officer withheld permission to prosecute an alleged accused. The CBI, however, has secured prosecution approval for 30 government employees in the case but is awaiting clearance for another official.

Accused Individuals and Court Orders

On October 7, the court granted bail to nine accused on personal bonds of ₹1 lakh each. It also directed them to surrender their passports. In its final chargesheet, the CBI named 78 accused, including 38 candidates and several officials.

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Bhola Yadav, a close aide and former secretary to Lalu Prasad Yadav, was named in the third supplementary chargesheet filed on March 6. The CBI alleges Bhola Yadav managed job-related transactions on Lalu Prasad Yadav’s behalf.

Allegations Against Lalu Prasad Yadav

The ED and CBI claim Lalu Prasad Yadav, during his tenure as Railway Minister (2004-2009), gave railway jobs in exchange for land. Five members of Lalu Prasad Yadav’s family, including Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, Misa Bharti, and Hema Yadav, are named as accused.

ED Investigations and Chargesheets

The ED is probing the case under money laundering laws. It filed a 100-page supplementary chargesheet in March, supported by 96 documents. The court granted regular bail to Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, Hema Yadav, and Hridayananda Chaudhary on March 7.

Ongoing Legal Proceedings

The court took cognizance of the ED’s first supplementary chargesheet on September 18. The ED alleges Lalu Prasad Yadav and his associates benefitted from land transfers made by job seekers.

The scam remains under active investigation by both the CBI and ED.