ED files 1st chargesheet against Bihar ex-CM Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, others

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed its first chargesheet on Tuesday in the money-laundering case related to the railways land-for-jobs scheme, naming former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, her MP daughter Misa Bharti and others, according to official sources.

Hema Yadav, another daughter of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, alleged associate Amit Katyal, railway employee Hridayanand Chaudhary, and two firms, A K Infosystems Pvt Ltd and A B Exports Pvt Ltd, along with their common director Shariqul Bari, were also listed in the chargesheet.

The complaint, naming a total of seven accused, has been filed before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Delhi. The court is scheduled to hear the matter on January 16. Amit Katyal was arrested by the ED in November last year, while Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son, Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, have been summoned but have not deposed yet.

Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, and two other daughters, Chanda Yadav and Ragini Yadav, have been questioned by the ED in this case. The alleged scam dates back to the period when Lalu Prasad Yadav served as the railway minister in the UPA-1 government. It is claimed that between 2004 and 2009, individuals were appointed to Group “D” positions in Indian Railways, transferring their land to the family members of Lalu Prasad Yadav and a connected company, A K Infosystems Private Limited.

The ED alleges that A K Infosystems Private Limited is a “beneficiary company” and its registered address in New Friends Colony, South Delhi, was used by Tejashwi Yadav. Amit Katyal has been a director of this company. A B Exports Pvt Ltd is described as a “shell” or fake company owned by Tejashwi Yadav and Chanda Yadav.

The ED alleges that Rabri Devi and Hema Yadav sold four illegally acquired land parcels from appointees in the Railways to Meridian Construction India Ltd., linked to former RJD MLA Syed Abu Dojana. The proceeds of crime were then transferred through various transactions to A B Exports Pvt Ltd and Bhagirathi Tubes.

The money laundering case, filed under the PMLA’s criminal sections, originates from a complaint lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, and Tejashwi Yadav were granted bail by a trial court in October in the CBI case. The CBI alleges that appointments were made without advertisement or public notice, and some Patna residents were appointed as substitutes in different zonal railways. In return, these candidates or their immediate family members allegedly sold land to Prasad’s family at highly discounted rates.

Assets worth more than Rs 6 crorev . belonging to Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, and linked companies were attached by the ED last year. The agency had conducted raids in various locations in Patna, Phulwari Sharif, Delhi-NCR, Ran chi, and Mumbai in March 2023.