Delhi High Court Rejects Lalu Prasad Yadav's Petition in Land-for-Jobs Case

Court Decision on Corruption Case

On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court dismissed a petition filed by Lalu Prasad Yadav, the leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, aimed at quashing a corruption case associated with an alleged land-for-jobs scam.

This case involves accusations that between 2004 and 2009, during Yadav's tenure as Union Railway Minister, land was unlawfully acquired at significantly reduced prices in exchange for job placements in Group D roles within the Indian Railways.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) submitted its chargesheet on October 10, 2022, naming Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, and several others as defendants.

Yadav contended that the investigation commenced without the necessary sanction required by the 1988 Prevention of Corruption Act, a point he claimed was overlooked by the special judge.

In his petition, the former Bihar Chief Minister argued that he was subjected to an 'illegal, motivated investigation' that infringed upon his fundamental right to a fair inquiry.

Justice Ravinder Dudeja, however, declined to annul the first information report filed by the CBI, along with three chargesheets and the trial court's orders acknowledging these charges.

Dudeja stated that Yadav's petition lacked merit and consequently dismissed it.

The CBI has alleged that Yadav's family members, including his wife and daughters Misa Bharti and Hema, received land parcels at prices far below market value. In exchange for these transactions, those who transferred the land were reportedly offered jobs.

According to the investigation, Yadav's family acquired over 100,000 square feet of land for merely Rs 26 lakh, while the market value was estimated at over Rs 4.39 crore.