Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Friday extended interim bail to former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and her daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav until February 28 in the Railways land-for-job case.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne granted the relief as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) requested additional time to present arguments on their regular bail application.
The accused appeared before the court following the summons issued by the court in response to the charge sheet filed by the ED.
During the proceedings, the court questioned the ED about the necessity for the accused’s custody, given that they were not arrested during the investigation.
The Court had earlier issued notices against Amit Katyal, Rabri Devi, Misha Bharti, Hema Yadav, and Hridyanand Chaudhary to be present on February 9, 2024, for further trial in the alleged ‘land for job scam’.
The ED had filed a prosecution complaint (PC) on January 1, 2024, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, against Amit Katyal, Rabri Devi, Misha Bharti, Hema Yadav, Hridyanand Chaudhary, and two companies–A K Infosystems Private Limited, A B Exports Pvt. Ltd.–before the Special Court (PMLA), New Delhi, in the alleged scam.
The central agency initiated investigations based on an FIR registered by CBI related to land for job scam alleging that Lalu Yadav, the then Railway Minister, indulged in corruption for the appointment of Group D substitutes in Indian Railways during the period 2004-2009.
The candidates were told to transfer land as a bribe in return for jobs in Indian Railways as per FIR.
The CBI has also filed a charge sheet. The ED alleged that Lalu’s kin–Rabri Devi, Misha Bharti, Hema Yadav–who are accused in the prosecution complaint–received the land parcel(s) from the family of candidates (who were selected as Group D substitutes in the Indian Railways) for nominal amounts.
Further, investigation under PMLA revealed that the property situated at New Friends Colony, Delhi (independent four-storied bungalow, registered in the name of M/s A B Exports Private Limited, a company owned and controlled by Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and family) was shown to have been acquired at a value of mere Rs 4 Lakhs, the present market value of which is approximately Rs 150 crore.
It is suspected that huge amount of cash/Proceeds of Crime has been infused in purchasing this property and few Mumbai based entities, dealing in the gems and jewellery sector were used to channel ill-gotten proceeds of crime in this regard. The property has been though, on paper declared as office of M/s A B Exports Private Limited and M/s AK Infosystems Pvt ltd, it is being exclusively used as residential premises by Tejasvi Prasad Yadav, son of Lalu Prasad Yadav. During the searches, Tejasvi Prasad Yadav was found to be staying at this house and was found to be using this house as his residential property.
ED investigation has found that 4 parcels of lands acquired by the family of Lalu Yadav in just Rs 7.5 lakhs from poor Group-D applicants were sold to Syed Abu Dojana, Ex-RJD MLA by Mrs Rabri Devi with huge gains at Rs 3.5 crore in a collusive deal. ED investigation further revealed that a major portion of the amount thus received, was transferred to the account of Sh. Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.Investigations revealed that in the similar fashion, lands were taken from several poor parents and candidates in lieu of Group D jobs in the Railways. It has been revealed during the investigation that in many Railways Zones, more than 50% of recruited candidates were from Lalu Yadav families’ constituencies, stated ED.