New Delhi: In a noteworthy development, the Delhi high court on May 31 refused to stay proceedings in the land for job scam case, denying any immediate relief to former railway minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, who had approached the court, seeking quashing of FIR and chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against him.
The court during the hearing of the case refused to stay the proceedings noting that the matter is already listed before the special judge for arguments on charge. The case will be next heard on August 12.
The court in its order observed that the petitioner is free to raise all his contention before the trial court. It noted that “This would be rather an added opportunity for the petitioner to put forth his point and get the same adjudicated”.
The court rejects to stay the proceedings citing no compelling reasons to intervene.
At the outset, Yadav’s counsel Adv Kapil Sibbal argued that the agency continued its investigation without obtaining the required sanctions against the RJD supremo.
Earlier this month, president of Bharat, Droupadi Murmu on May 8 granted sanction to prosecute the RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav for his involvement in a money laundering case related to alleged railways ‘land for job scam’. This comes after a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Delhi took cognisance of chargesheets filed against Lalu Prasad Yadav and his aides in the matter.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against Lalu Yadav and others including his wife, two daughters and others in May 2022.
It is alleged that the then Union Minister of Railways during the period 2004-2009 had obtained pecuniary advantages in the form of transfer of landed property in the name of his family members etc., in lieu of appointment of Substitutes in Group “D” Post in different Zones of Railways.
The agency filed a chargeshhet against Yadav, his two daughters and 13 others in October 2022. In all, the CBI has filed three chargesheet in the case.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) also took cognisance of the matter and launched a probe under PMLA in August 2024.
The agency filed a chargesheet in the case naming an alleged associate of Lalu Yadav’s family and other family members of the RJD Chief in January 2024. Months later the agency in its supplementary chargesheet named Lalu Yadav, his son and former deputy CM Tejashvi Yadav and 8 others in the case.
Earlier in March this year, Lalu Yadav, his wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi appeared before ED in connection with the case in Patna. The sleuths of the agency also questioned RJD MLA Tej Pratap Yadav. According to reports, the fresh round of questioning was being done after emergence of some additional facts into the case.
The CBI on the other hand also concluded its arguments on charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejaswi Yadav, former Minister Prem Chand Gupta, and other accused in the case in March this year.
