Highlights
- Searches were conducted in connection with the IRCTC land-for-job scam involving Lalu Prasad Yadav
- An FIR in the case had earlier mentioned just five sale deeds
- CBI said Lalu Yadav's wife Rabri Devi and daughter Hema Yadav were gifted land by job seekers
Bihar raid: More than 200 sale deeds have been recovered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) during raids at the premises of several RJD leaders in Bihar. The searches, on Wednesday, were done in connection with the IRCTC land-for-job scam involving former Railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.
An FIR in the case had earlier mentioned just five sale deeds, however, the CBI came across 200 sale deeds, seized documents and recovered jewellery.
Raids were conducted at the 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 land by job seekers who were later appointed in railways.
Haridayanand 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.
What is the IRCTC land-for-job scam?
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 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.
"In continuation of this modus operandi, about 1,05,292 Sq. feet land, immovable properties situated in Patna were acquired by Lalu Yadav and his family members through five sales deeds and two gift deeds, showing the payment made to seller in cash in most of the land transfer, officials say.
(With quotes and inputs from IANS)
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