The CBI on Friday filed a chargesheet towards former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad, his spouse Rabri Devi and daughter Misa Bharti amongst 16 accused in reference to its probe into the “land for job” case. Company sources mentioned these chargesheeted additionally embody two senior railways officers other than the beneficiaries of the “irregular” employment.
The case pertains to allegations that Lalu Prasad and his household took land to offer jobs to individuals within the Indian Railways.
The CBI had booked Lalu and his relations in a contemporary case of corruption in Might this yr. The company had named as many as 16 individuals, together with Lalu, his spouse Rabri Devi, his daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav, as accused within the FIR.
These chargesheeted on Friday additionally embody Sowmya Raghvan, the then GM, Railways; Kamal Deep Mainrai, the then CPO, Railways; alleged beneficiaries appointed as railway substitutes Rajkumar Singh, Mithlesh Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Dharmendra Kumar, Vikas Kumar, and Abhishek Kumar; and alleged middlemen Ravindra Rai, Kiran Devi, Akhileshwar Singh and Ramashish Singh.
“Throughout investigation, it has been discovered that the accused in conspiracy with the then GM Central Railways and CPO, Central Railways engaged individuals as substitutes in lieu of land both of their title or within the title of their shut family. This land was acquired at costs decrease than the prevailing circle charge and far decrease than the market charge. It was additionally alleged that the candidates have used false TC and submitted false attested paperwork to the Ministry of Railways,” a CBI assertion mentioned.
Following its FIR in Might, the company had additionally launched search operations at 17 places on premises related to Lalu and his relations, together with his daughter Misa Bharti, amongst others.
The case, in keeping with the central probe company, relies on allegations that Lalu allegedly took land plots as bribes to provide jobs to individuals when he was the railways minister within the UPA authorities.
The company has alleged as many as 12 individuals from Patna have been appointed in Group D posts within the Indian Railways, and in lieu Lalu’s household acquired seven plots of land in Patna and elsewhere for a pittance. All these plots belonged to the households of these 12 individuals who acquired the job.
In keeping with the CBI, Lalu’s household acquired over 1 lakh sq ft of land on this means for a meagre Rs 26 lakh when the then circle charge places the cumulative worth of the land at over Rs 4.39 crore.
The CBI initiated a preliminary inquiry on this regard in September final yr.
In August this yr, when the newly-formed JDU-RJD authorities was going through belief vote within the Bihar Meeting, the CBI raided a number of places in reference to the case which included premises of 4 senior RJD leaders and a mall in Gurgaon which CBI claimed was linked to Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, a cost denied by him.
The raids have been additionally carried out on the premises of RJD treasurer and MLC Sunil Singh in addition to two Rajya Sabha MPs from the get together, Faiyaz Ahmad and Shfaq Karim. Aside from this, premises related to former RJD MLC Subodh Rai have been additionally raided.
In July, the CBI had arrested Bhola Yadav, the previous OSD to Lalu when the latter was the railways minister, and a railway worker.
The CBI had in 2018 chargesheeted Lalu, his spouse Rabri and son Tejashwi within the IRCTC case the place it’s alleged that because the railways minister, Lalu favoured an organization in awarding contracts of two IRCTC resorts for operation and upkeep. His household allegedly obtained a primary piece of land in Patna at a throwaway worth from the homeowners of the corporate that bagged the contract as quid professional quo.