Land-for-job scam: CBI visits Rabri Devi's Patna residence for questioning

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday visited former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi's Patna residence for further investigation in the land-for-job scam involving ex-Railway minister Lalu Yadav and others.

The visit was not for any raid or search operation, but to question the former minister in connection with the scam, the agency officials told the IANS.

Reacting to the development, the opposition leaders accused the Centre of misusing the CBI to conduct raids at their house on the festival of Holi.

"We are further investigating the matter," the CBI said.

Rabri Devi, Lalu Prasad and others were summoned by the Delhi's Rouse Avenue District Courts on March 15.

The CBI has got the prosecution sanction against Lalu Prasad in the matter.

In January, the CBI furnished the prosecution sanction letter before the concerned court. It had, in October, chargesheeted 16 accused, including Lalu Prasad, his wife, daughter, the then GM, Central Railways, then CPO, private persons, candidates in the matter.

Investigations had revealed that the accused in conspiracy with the then GM Central Railways and CPO, Central Railways engaged persons as substitutes in lieu of land either in their name or in the name of their close relatives, as per the probe agency.

This land was acquired at prices lower than the prevailing circle rate and much lower than the market rate.

"The candidates had used false TC and submitted false attested documents to the Ministry of Railways," the chargesheet reads.

It also surfaced that Lalu's wife Rabri Devi and daughter Hema Yadav were gifted land in connection with the land-for-job scam by job seekers who were later appointed in railways.

Haridayanand Chaudhary, a railway employee and Bhola Yadav, the then OSD to former former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav were earlier arrested by the CBI. Bhola was Lalu's OSD between 2004 and 2009.

What is the case:
The CBI registered a case against Lalu Yadav, the then union railway minister, his wife Rabri Devi, two daughters and 15 others, including unknown Public servants and private persons.

"Between 2004-2009, Yadav had obtained pecuniary advantages in the form of transfer of landed property in the name of his family members in lieu of appointment of Substitutes in Group "D" Post in different Zones of Railways," the official said.

A number of residents of Patna themselves or through their family members sold and gifted their land to the family members of Yadav and a private company controlled by Yadav and his family.

"No advertisement or any public notice was issued for such appointment of substitutes in Zonal Railways, yet the appointees who were residents of Patna were appointed as Substitutes in different Zonal Railways located at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hajipur.

In continuation of this modus operandi, about 1,05,292 Sq. feet land, immovable properties situated at Patna were acquired by Yadav and his family members through five sales deeds and two gift deeds, showing the payment made to the seller in cash in most of the land transfer," the CBI official said.

Further investigation in the matter is on.