• By Mayukh Debnath
  • Fri, 09 Feb 2024 12:01 PM (IST)
  • Source:ANI
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Land-For-Jobs Case: Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Friday granted interim bail to former union railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav's wife, Rabri Devi, and his two daughters, Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav in the 'land-for-jobs' scam case. The bail will be applicable till the next hearing in the case, news agency ANI reported.

The three accused were summoned by the court after taking cognizance of a charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the case that pertains to a scam that allegedly took place during Lalu Prasad Yadav's tenure as the railway minister. The ED had filed a prosecution complaint (PC) on January 1, 2024, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, against Amit Katyal, Rabri Devi, Misha Bharti, Hema Yadav, Hridyanand Chaudhary and two companies--AK Infosystems Private Limited, AB Exports Pvt. Ltd.--before the Special Court (PMLA), New Delhi, in the alleged scam.

The central probe agency had initiated investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the alleged scam, accusing Lalu, the erstwhile Railway Minister, of having indulged in corruption for the appointment of Group D substitutes in Indian Railways during the period 2004-2009.

The candidates were told to transfer land as a bribe in return for jobs in Indian Railways as per FIR. The CBI has also filed a charge sheet. The ED alleged that Lalu's kin--Rabri Devi, Misha Bharti, Hema Yadav--who are accused in the prosecution complaint--received the land parcel(s) from family of candidates (who were selected as Group D substitutes in the Indian Railways) for nominal amounts.

While taking cognizance of the charge sheet, the court said that there is sufficient ground to take cognizance. ED had submitted that in 2006-07, AK Infosystem was formed by Amit Katyal and its business was IT data analysis. No real business was done. Instead, several land parcels were bought by the company. One land parcel pertains to the main predicate offence, which is land for a job.

This company was transferred in the name of Rabri Devi and Tejaswi Yadav in 2014 for the consideration of Rs one lakh, ED submitted. On January 9, the ED filed a prosecution complaint (charge sheet) in Land for a job scam money laundering case. ED has named Bihar's ex-CM Rabri Devi, her daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav, Hridyanand Chaudhary, and Amit Katyal. Two firms, AB Export and AK Infosystems, have also been accused.

(With inputs from ANI)