ED files chargesheet in land-for-jobs scam, Rabri among 7 accused
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed its first chargesheet on Tuesday in the railways land-for-jobs money laundering case, naming seven accused, including Lalu Prasad Yadav’s wife & former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, and their MP daughter Misa Bharti.
The chargesheet also named Lalu Yadav’s other daughter Hema Yadav, his “close associate” Amit Katyal, railway employee Hridayanand Chaudhary, and two firms: A K Infosystems Pvt Ltd and A B Exports Pvt Ltd through their common director Shariqul Bari.
The 4,700-page complaint has details of alleged scam that occurred during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure as Railway Minister in the UPA-1 government (2004-2009).
Special Judge Vishal Gogne directed the ED to file an electronic copy of the chargesheet and documents on the same day.
Katyal was arrested in this case by the ED in November 2023, while Lalu Prasad Yadav was summoned by the agency but has not yet deposed. His son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav appeared once before the agency and has been asked to return.The agency is expected to file supplementary chargesheets in the case. Rabri Devi (68), RJD Rajya Sabha MP Misa Bharti (47), and Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi’s other daughters, Chanda Yadav and Ragini Yadav, have been questioned by the ED in this case.
The ED alleged that numerous individuals were appointed to Group “D” positions in the Indian Railways in exchange for transferring their land to the Yadav family or A K Infosystems Pvt Ltd, a “beneficiary company” allegedly linked to Tejashwi Yadav.
Amit Katyal, a director of A K Infosystems, allegedly used the company’s registered address in New Friends Colony, Delhi, which also served as Tejashwi Yadav’s residence.
The ED further alleged that Rabri Devi and Hema Yadav “illegally” sold four land parcels obtained from railway appointees to Meridian Construction India Ltd, a company linked to former RJD MLA Syed Abu Dojana.
The ED claimed they made significant profits, selling the land for Rs 3.5 crore compared to the Rs 7.5 lakh acquisition cost.
The agency claimed that the proceeds from these land sales were then laundered through a complex web of transactions involving A B Exports Pvt Ltd (allegedly owned by Tejashwi Yadav and Chanda Yadav) and Bhagirathi Tubes.
The ED sought prosecution of the accused under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and confiscation of assets previously attached in the case.
This case stems from a complaint filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which also filed its own chargesheet in October 2023. Both chargesheets accused Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, and Tejashwi Yadav of involvement in the scam.
The CBI alleged that railway appointments were made without proper procedures, and in exchange, candidates or their families sold land to the Yadav family at significantly discounted rates.
As part of the investigation, the ED attached assets worth over Rs 6 crore belonging to Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, and linked companies last year. The agency raided premises in Patna, Delhi-NCR, Ranchi, and Mumbai in March 2023.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for January 16, 2024.with agency inputs
