Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav made repeated telephone calls to senior railway officers, pressuring them to course of and clear a listing of candidates he had really helpful for appointments, CBI informed a Delhi courtroom (HT Photo)
Appearing earlier than particular decide Vishal Gogne throughout arguments on framing of costs within the land-for-jobs case, the company claimed that Lalu’s intervention went past mere advice and amounted to sustained coercion of officers in violation of guidelines.
According to particular public prosecutor (SPP) DP Singh, Yadav first handed over an unsigned checklist of 120 candidates via an aide throughout a General Managers’ (GMs) convention on the Railway Board in New Delhi in 2008. The checklist, Singh stated, was accompanied by oral directions that the names had been to be thought-about for employment as substitute employees “as per the minister’s needs”.
When no motion was taken for 2 to a few months, Yadav personally referred to as the GM, who’s now a prosecution witness, and expressed anger on the delay. Singh learn out a press release from the cost sheet: “Lalu Yadav informed him ––‘Aap to checklist pe kundi mark ke baith gaye ho’ (You have locked up the checklist and sat idle).”
Following that decision, 25 to 30 names had been forwarded to the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO), who granted them closing approval. But when the remainder of the checklist remained pending, Lalu reportedly referred to as the GM once more, this time issuing a veiled risk: “Aap GM me kaam karna chahte ho ki nahi?” (Do you need to stay a GM or not?).
Under this sustained strain, one other 30 names had been rapidly cleared, and officers had been instructed to course of the appointments with out full verification, pushing the accountability to divisional ranges post-engagement, CBI alleged.
“The normal supervisor had initially processed solely two or three functions, however immense strain from the minister’s workplace compelled him to ahead extra. Verification processes had been bypassed,” SPP Singh informed the courtroom.
The case arises out of alleged irregular appointments made between 2004 and 2009, throughout Lalu’s tenure as railway minister. The CBI’s cost sheet has claimed that jobs had been exchanged for plots of land gifted or bought at throwaway costs by candidates or their members of the family to the Yadav household.
The company registered the case on May 18, 2022, naming Lalu, spouse Rabri Devi, sons Tejashwi and Tej Pratap Yadav, and daughter Hema Yadav, amongst others. Over 80 folks, together with former and serving authorities officers and personal people, are accused of enabling or benefiting from the scheme.
In the final listening to, Singh argued that the recruited candidates had been largely from Bihar, the place Lalu’s household holds political clout, and that they transferred land holdings to the Yadavs in return for Group D railway jobs.
So far, CBI has filed three cost sheets. The first cost sheet filed on October 7, 2022, summoned 16 accused. The second, on March 27, 2024, named Tej Pratap Yadav and 17 extra. The third cost sheet, submitted on June 7, 2024, brings the overall to over 90 accused, together with 30 authorities officers.
The trial courtroom took cognisance of the third cost sheet in March 2025 and granted bail to all accused, together with Lalu and his household, on a ₹50,000 bond. In its order, the courtroom famous there was sturdy prima facie proof that recruitment guidelines had been violated, and that land had certainly been transferred to the Prasad household in return for jobs. The CBI’s submissions on costs are being heard day-to-day, with proceedings scheduled to proceed for the subsequent two days.
Lalu and his household’s counsel has but to argue on the fees.
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