Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court has dropped a bombshell in the Land-for-Job corruption saga, formally charging RJD patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, and several family members. The judge remarked that evidence points to a meticulously planned criminal conspiracy masterminded by Lalu while he was Railway Minister.
Geeta and her sister, both from Patna, were among those who allegedly handed over prime land plots in exchange for railway jobs for their family members. Special CBI Judge Vishal Gogne mandated personal court appearances for the main accused, exempting only Misa Bharti on medical grounds for virtual participation.
The indictment paints a picture of systemic abuse of power. Lalu, holding the railway reins from 2004-2009, purportedly turned government jobs into bargaining chips. Lands were transferred to family trusts and entities controlled by Rabri, Misa, Hema, Tejashwi, and Tej Pratap, often without adequate consideration, right around the time appointments were processed.
In a twist, 52 railway personnel, including top CPOs, walked free as the court found no direct role or proof of ministerial pressure on them. The CBI’s investigation revealed a pattern: job offers followed land deals, with documents backdated or undervalued to mask the quid pro quo.
Defense lawyers, led by Maninder Singh, dismissed the charges as a vendetta by political rivals. They pointed to sale deeds indicating full payments and absence of any direct Lalu intervention or candidate testimonies implicating him. Undeterred, the court invoked sections on conspiracy, fraud, and graft against Lalu, Rabri, their children, and aides like RK Mahajan and Prem Chand Gupta.
Originating from a 2022 CBI FIR, the probe has seen multiple chargesheets amid intense political slugfest in Bihar. With trial now underway, this case could redefine accountability in public office, scrutinizing how political families allegedly blurred lines between power and personal gain.