CBI registers fresh corruption cases against Lalu Prasad Yadav, searches 17 locations in Delhi, Bihar

Patna: The CBI has registered a fresh case against former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on the charge of taking land from aspirants in return for jobs in the railway, officials said on Friday. The probe agency has started searches at 17 locations in Delhi and Bihar, they said. The alleged land-for-jobs scam pertains to the period when Lalu Prasad Yadav was the railway minister in the UPA government, officials said. 

#WATCH Police presence outside the Patna residence of former Bihar CM Rabri Devi as CBI conducts raids at multiple locations of RJD Chief Lalu Yadav in a fresh case relating to alleged 'land for railway job scam'#Bihar pic.twitter.com/mwIdvdT9N3 — ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2022

Apart from Lalu, news reports say his daughter, Misa Bharti, was also named in the report. The scam involved taking land from unemployed youths on the pretext of providing them government jobs. A CBI source said that a fresh case was recently lodged against Lalu and others for accepting bribes from unemployed youths and cheating them on the pretext of providing them jobs in the government sector.

"Yadav, when he was the Union minister, through his aide or directly told the innocent persons that he would help them get government jobs. And they took land from the job seekers. However, the jobs were not provided to all," the source was quoted by IANS. When asked how many such land pieces were acquired by Lalu and others through this, the source said they were making a list.

The CBI officials are also recording the statements of those who are present at the locations. This comes weeks after the RJD leader was granted bail in the Rs 950-crore fodder scam case. He has already been convicted in five cases of the fodder scam.

(With Agency inputs)