CBI summons Tejashwi Yadav's private secretary in land-for-job scam case

The CBI summoned a private secretary to Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, to appear for questioning in its Delhi office on Wednesday in connection with a land-for-job scam in the railways when RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav was the railway minister.

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned a private secretary to Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, to appear for questioning in its Delhi office on Wednesday in connection with a land-for-job scam in the railways when RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav was the railway minister, said sources.

Earlier Sanjay Yadav was asked to appear before the probe agency on Monday but he didn't turn up for questioning. The CBI on October 7 filed a chargesheet against former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, their daughter Misa Bharti and 13 others in the land-for-job scam. According to the CBI, the chargesheet has been submitted before a CBI court in Rouse Avenue here.

"During the investigation, it has been found 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. This land was acquired at prices lower than the prevailing circle rate and much lower than the market rate. It was also alleged that the candidates have used false TC and submitted false attested documents to the Ministry of Railways," the CBI claimed in a press statement. Further investigation is continuing, the investigation agency added.

The alleged scam occurred when Yadav was Railway Minister between 2004 and 2009. Apart from the RJD leader, the chargesheet also includes the name of the then Railway General Manager. The FIR, registered in the matter earlier, reads that during the period 2004 to 2009 various persons were appointed as substitutes in group D posts in different zones of the Railways in exchange for land, by the unknown Public Servants of the Indian Railway and later they were regularised.

It was further alleged that unknown Public Servants of the Indian Railway did not follow the instructions/ guidelines etc issued by the department during the relevant period for the appointment of substitutes in group D posts in Railways.

The FIR further reads that enquiry has revealed that some individuals although residents of Patna, Bihar but were appointed as substitutes in group D post during the period 2004-2009 in different zones of Railway located at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur, Hajipur and in lieu thereof the individuals themselves or their family members transferred their land in the name of family members of Lalu Prasad Yadav, then Minister of Railway, Govt of India and a Company M/ s AK Infosystems Private Limited.

"Out of seven instances of land transfer, it is revealed that three sale deeds were executed in favour of Rabri Devi, wife of Lalu Yadav, one sale deed was executed in the name of Misha Bharti, daughter of Lalu Prasad Yadav, one sale deed was executed in favour of M/s AK Infosystems Private Limited, in which later Rabri Devi became major shareholder, in the year 2014 and currently she is one of the Director of the Company. Two gift deeds were executed in favour of Hema Yadav, daughter of Lalu Prasad Yadav," it reads.

The enquiry has prima facie indicated that Lalu Prasad Yadav as Minister of Railways, Government of India as a public servant by abusing his official position obtained a pecuniary advantage in the name of his family members in the form of land in the matter of appointment of substitutes in group D post in different Zones of Railway, the FIR reads. (ANI)