A Delhi court is set to deliberate on whether to take cognisance of a charge sheet filed against former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and others in the alleged land-for-jobs scam. The hearing, originally scheduled for Monday, has been deferred to February 21 after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) requested additional time to clarify points previously raised by the court.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne, overseeing the case, had posed questions to the CBI on January 30 regarding the similarities and distinctions in the allegations within the charge sheet. This inquiry came after the CBI informed the court that it had secured the necessary sanctions to prosecute public servant R K Mahajan, along with other implicated individuals.
The inquiry into the alleged scam centers on accusations that during Prasad’s tenure as the railway minister from 2004 to 2009, job appointments were made in the West Central Zone of Railways in exchange for land transfers to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader’s family and associates. These appointments were reportedly for Group-D positions based out of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
On November 26, 2024, the CBI presented the court with sanctions obtained from relevant authorities to prosecute 30 accused persons involved in this case. However, at that time, sanctions for the prosecution of Mahajan were still pending. The delay prompted Judge Gogne on January 16 to demand an explanation from the competent authority if the sanction was not processed by January 30.
This case has implicated several members of Prasad’s family, including his wife and two daughters, along with unnamed public officials and private individuals. It was officially registered by the agency on May 18, 2022.
