Trouble for Lalu Prasad! President grants sanction to prosecute RJD chief in land-for-jobs scam

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday granted sanction to the Enforcement Directorate to prosecute RJD chief and former Union minister Lalu Prasad in the alleged land-for-jobs scam, PTI quoted sources as saying.

According to the report, the President accorded the permission as mandated under section 197(1) of the CrPC and Section 218 of the BNSS, 2023.

In August 2024, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) chargesheeted Lalu Prasad Yadav, his son and former deputy CM of the state, Tejashwi Yadav and other family members in the money laundering case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The case, which is related to a CBI FIR alleging that Lalu Prasad was indulged in corruption in the appointment of Group D substitutes in the Indian Railways during 2004-2009.

The CBI in its FIR alleged that the candidates or their family members were allegedly told to transfer land as a bribe in return for jobs in the Railways.

Adding more, the FIR also alleged that the land parcels were directly or indirectly registered in the name of the family members of Lalu Prasad. Apart from this, the CBI had also filed three chargesheets in this case.

It is worthwhile mentioning that the ED has filed its Prosecution Complaint (PC) on January 8, 2024, under the provisions of PMLA, 2002, against Amit Katyal and family members of Lalu Prasad Yadav viz., Rabri Devi, Misha Bharti, Hema Yadav, and two associated companies A K Infosystems Private Limited, A B Exports Pvt Ltd before the Special Court (PMLA), New Delhi in the matter.

Further, a supplementary prosecution complaint against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and others, was also filed before Special Court on August 6, 2024. The cognizance of the said prosecution complaints against Lalu Prasad Yadav and family members has already been taken by the Special Court. 

With agency inputs.