News Desk – A Delhi court on Friday said that RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family acted like a criminal group and were part of a planned conspiracy in the Railways land-for-jobs scam.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne made this observation while ordering that corruption and criminal conspiracy charges be framed against Lalu Yadav, his family members, and others.
The court said that based on the evidence, there is enough reason to believe that a large conspiracy was planned and carried out. It also rejected the request of Lalu Yadav and his family to be cleared of the case.
According to the court, Lalu Yadav and his family used government jobs as a tool to get land and property in their names or in the names of their close associates. The court said this was done as part of a well-planned scheme.
Out of the 98 accused, the court said charges will be framed against 46 people, including Lalu Yadav and his family members. The remaining 52 accused were discharged as there was not enough evidence against them.
Earlier, both the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court had refused to stop the trial in this case.
The case is being investigated by the CBI. It is linked to the time when Lalu Yadav was Railway Minister between 2004 and 2009. The agency says that Group D railway jobs were given to people in return for land that was transferred to Lalu Yadav’s family at very low prices.
According to the CBI, many job seekers or their relatives sold or gifted land in Patna and other places to Lalu Yadav’s family members and companies linked to them. The agency also said no proper recruitment process was followed.
The Yadav family has denied all charges and claimed that the case is politically motivated.
