By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has submitted a comprehensive 1000-page supplementary chargesheet in the “land for job” case, implicating 11 individuals, including RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. The chargesheet will be reviewed by the Rouse Avenue Court on August 13.
This development may exacerbate the legal troubles for Lalu and Tejashwi. According to the ED, the case revolves around recruitment in Group-D positions in the West Central Zone of Railways in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, during Lalu Yadav’s tenure as Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009. Allegedly, individuals who secured these railway jobs transferred land to the family members and associates of Lalu Yadav in exchange for their appointments.
The political ramifications in Bihar are already evident following the chargesheet filing. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary remarked that those who engage in theft will inevitably be chargesheeted. Choudhary, a known critic of the Lalu family, emphasized that the chargesheet is unsurprising given the nature of the allegations.
The core of the case lies in the period between 2004 and 2009 when Lalu Yadav was the Railway Minister in the UPA government. It is claimed that land was exchanged for railway jobs, with beneficiaries reportedly transferring land to Lalu’s family or close associates. The CBI’s FIR, which forms the basis of the ED’s investigation, alleged that no public notices or advertisements were issued for these appointments, suggesting a clandestine operation to appoint individuals from Patna to various zonal railways without following standard procedures.
The CBI registered the case on May 18, 2022, targeting Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife, two daughters, and other unknown public and private individuals. During the investigation, a hard disk containing lists of appointed candidates was recovered, reinforcing the claims of an orchestrated job-for-land scheme.
As the case progresses, the political and legal implications continue to unfold, with the ED’s detailed chargesheet marking a significant step in the ongoing investigation.
