CBI files chargesheet against Tejashwi, Lalu, Rabri in land-for-job scam

The case pertains to an alleged scam in the railway recruitment processes when Lalu Prasad was the Union Railways minister from 2004 to 2009

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday filed a chargesheet against Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders and former Bihar Chief Ministers Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi in the land-for-jobs scam case.

The chargesheet has been filed before Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court. However, no date for the hearing on this chargesheet has been provided yet, India Today reported.

The case is already scheduled for a hearing on July 12.

What is the case?

The alleged scam pertains to the period when Lalu was the railway minister in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. 

The CBI has alleged that between 2004 and 2009, several people were appointed to Group D positions in various zones of Indian Railways, who transferred their land to the family members of the then railway minister.

According to the CBI, there was no advertisement or public notice issued for the appointment. However, some Patna residents were appointed as substitutes in different zonal railways at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hajipur.

As part of quid pro quo, the candidates, directly or through their immediate family members, allegedly sold land to the family members of Prasad at highly discounted rates, up to one-fourth to one-fifth of the prevailing market rates, the CBI had alleged.

Tejashwi Yadav has denied these allegations in the past, saying that the then railway minister Prasad had "no powers" to give employment in exchange for favours.