Patna (Bihar): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has made a shocking revelation in the land-for-job scam case. According to the probe agency, "former Bihar Chief Minister and former Railways Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Dev not only acquired black money and property through scams but the people working in their cowshed also became rich by acquiring illegal land".
On January 8, 2024, the ED filed a money laundering case against Amit Katyal, Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, Hema Yadav, Hridayanand Chaudhary and two companies AK Infosystems Pvt Ltd and AB Exports Pvt Ltd. The Prosecution Complaint (PC) has been filed under the provisions of the Prevention of Penalties Act (PMLA), 2002.
Another accused Hridayanand Choudhary, who is a former employee of Rabri Devi's cowshed, who had acquired property from a candidate, has also been made an accused. The probe agency stated that the land acquired by him was later transferred to Hema Yadav.
According to the ED, AK Infosystems Pvt Ltd and AB Exports Pvt Ltd were shell companies which received crime proceeds for Lalu Prasad Yadav's kin.
The Special Court in the 'land-for-jobs scam' took cognisance of the PC on January 27, 2024, and issued notices to the accused to appear before it on February 9.
The ED initiated a probe based on an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in which it was claimed that Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav during 2004-2009 was involved in corruption for the appointment of Group D substitute in Indian Railways. According to the FIR, the candidates were asked to transfer land as a bribe in exchange for jobs in Indian Railways. The CBI has also filed the charge sheet in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, the CBI informed Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court that it will file a supplementary charge sheet by the end of February 2024. "A former employee of Rabri Devi's 'Gaushala' (Hridayanand Choudhary) had taken land in exchange for a job, which was transferred to Lalu Yadav's daughter Hema Yadav," the ED had stated in a media release.
