Land for job scam: CBI files prosecution sanction against former public servant RK Mahajan

New Delhi [India], January 30 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday filed a prosecution sanction against former IAS officer RK Mahajan who was a member of the Railway Board during the tenure of Lalu Prasad Yadav. This prosecution sanction has been filed in the land for job CBI case.
Special CBI Judge Vishal Gogne took on record the prosecution sanction accorded by the competent authority against Mahajan. This sanction has been filed against the conclusive charge sheet.
Special public prosecutor (SPP) DP Singh appeared through video conferencing and Advocate Manu Mishra physically before the court.
It was informed that the prosecution sanction has been obtained and filed before the court.
The CBI has already filed prosecution sanctions against 30 public servants and former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.
On September 20, 2024, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a sanction to Prosecute Lalu Prasad Yadav.
On June 7, the CBI filed a conclusive charge sheet against Lalu Prasad Yadav and 77 other accused in a land-for-job case. The chargesheeted accused also included 38 candidates.
The court on May 29, 2024, directed CBI to file its conclusive charge sheet in case. The court had also expressed its displeasure over the non-filing of a conclusive charge sheet despite giving time.
Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi and Tejaswi Yadav are arrayed as accused in the scam.
On October 4, 2023, the court granted bail to former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Rabri Devi and others in relation to a fresh charge sheet in the case.
According to the CBI, the second charge sheet is against 17 accused including the then Union Minister of Railways, his wife, son, then GM of West Central Railways (WCR), two CPOs of WCR, private persons, private company etc, in a case related to land for job scam.
CBI registered a case on May 18, 2022, against then Union Minister of Railways and others including his wife, two daughters and unknown public servants and private persons.
It is alleged that the then Union Minister of Railways during the period 2004-2009 had obtained pecuniary advantages in the form of transfer of landed property in the name of his family members etc., in lieu of appointment of Substitutes in Group "D" Post in different Zones of Railways.
It was further alleged that in lieu thereof, the substitutes, who were residents of Patna themselves or through their family members sold and gifted their land situated in Patna in favour of the family members of the said Minister and a private company controlled by his family members, which was also involved in the transfer of such immovable properties in the name of said family members.
It was also alleged that no advertisement or any public notice was issued for such appointments of substitutes in Zonal Railways, yet the appointees who were residents of Patna were appointed as substitutes in different Zonal Railways located at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hazipur.
"Searches were conducted at multiple places including in Delhi, Bihar, etc," the CBI said. (ANI)