New Delhi. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday filed its final chargesheet in the land-for-job scam involving former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and his family members, officials said.
He said the final report submitted by the CBI to the special court covers all railway zones where jobs were given in exchange for land allegedly taken by Lalu Prasad’s family members.
He said that upon completion of the investigation, the CBI filed its third and final chargesheet against 78 accused before the Special Judge (MP/MLA cases). The accused include Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tej Pratap Yadav (against whom the chargesheet has been filed for the first time), daughter Hema Yadav, former OSD Bhola Yadav and a former staff member of the RJD chief.
The CBI has charged the accused with criminal conspiracy as well as sections of the Indian Penal Code relating to cheating and forgery and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. He said the accused include 29 railway officials, 37 candidates and six other private individuals.
CBI spokesperson said that during the investigation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) found that Lalu Prasad, in connivance with railway officials, his family members and others, had entered into a criminal conspiracy and made appointments to ‘Group D’ posts in 11 zones of Indian Railways in complete violation of the existing guidelines.
He said this work was done by the candidate himself or his family members in exchange for land transfer.
He said that to become eligible for these posts, the candidates also submitted fake educational certificates. The spokesperson said in a statement, “The candidates appointed in various zones of the railways were mainly from those districts which were the constituencies of the then Union Railway Minister and his family members for a long time.” On July 3 last year, the CBI filed a chargesheet against the then Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and Lalu Prasad’s son Tejaswi Yadav in this case. The special court will consider this report on July 6.
An official said in this regard, “During the investigation, it was found that the accused conspired with railway officials and recruited individuals in exchange for acquiring land in their or their close relatives’ names. This land was acquired at a price lower than the then circle rate and much lower than the market rate.”