State News

CBI raids several RJD leaders in Railways’ land-for-job scam; More than 200 sale deeds recovered

Central Bureau of Investigation has recovered over 200 sale deeds during raids at the premises of several RJD leaders in Bihar in connection with the IRCTC land-for-job scam involving former Railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.

In the FIR, only five sale deeds were mentioned but now the CBI has come across 200 sale deeds. All these documents have been seized by the agency. The CBI has also recovered jewelry. Raids were conducted at residences of RJD MLC Sunil Singh, party leaders Ashfaque Karim, Faiyaz Ahmad, and Subodh Roy.

In the probe, the CBI has learned that Lalu Yadav’s wife Rabri Devi and daughter Hema Yadav were gifted lands by job seekers who were later appointed in railways.

Hridayanand Chaudhary, a railway employee, and Bhola Yadav, the then OSD to former Railway Minister Lalu Yadav were earlier arrested by the CBI in connection with the scam. Bhola was Lalu Yadav’s OSD between 2004 to 2009.

The CBI has 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 individuals.

“During the period 2004-2009, Lalu Yadav had obtained pecuniary advantages in the form of transfer of property (land) in the name of his family members in lieu of appointment of Substitutes in Group “D” Post in different Zones of Railways,” CBI officials say.

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

According to the agency, 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 in Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur, and Hazipur.

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