The court said public employment was used as a bargaining chip by Lalu to secure land via Rabri Devi NEW DELHI: A Delhi court Friday ordered framing of charges against RJD chief Lalu Prasad and 40 other accused in alleged land-for-jobs scam, observing that there existed “an overarching criminal conspiracy, mentored by Lalu Prasad,” in which he is accused of giving away railway jobs in exchange for land parcels from candidates during his tenure as railway minister from 2004 to 2009. The Rouse Avenue court held that “public employment was being used as a bargaining chip” by Lalu to receive immovable properties through his wife Rabri Devi and daughters. Opening the way for trial in the case, judge Vishal Gogne said Lalu, along with accused family members, appeared “to be operating as a criminal enterprise aimed at usurping private land by bartering away government posts”. Rejecting pleas seeking discharge, the court said such arguments were “completely unwarranted,” particularly when ministry of railways was allegedly being “lorded over as a personal fiefdom.” According to chargesheet filed by CBI, court noted, “land parcels were transferred” either in the name of Rabri Devi or other family members and close associates. The court recorded that several accused general managers of Indian Railways had emerged as having made appointments “by abuse of their discretion,” particularly by engaging Group D substitutes in violation of norms. However, with respect to chief personnel officers, the court held they were liable to be discharged as they “neither possessed the discretion to make such appointments nor were they under the influence” of ministry.About the AuthorKoushiki SahaKoushiki Saha, a trainee journalist currently reporting for The Times of India, covers urban governance, infrastructure lapses, public grievances, and municipal policies with clarity and compassion. Still learning every day, she draws insights from fieldwork, lived experiences, and holding authorities accountable through persistent, people-focused reporting.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCEPA A Win-Win For India And Chile, Key Focus On Market Access And Minerals: Chile EnvoyMamata Banerjee Hits Streets, Leads Kolkata Rally Against ED RaidsAfter Meeting PM Modi, AI Innovators Share Insights That Could Change The GameAmit Shah Outlines Foolproof NIDMS Mechanism To Counter Future Terror AttacksIndia No Longer Imports Arms, UP Leads Defence Manufacturing: Rajnath Singh’Not Accurate’: India Hits Back After Trump Aide Blames PM Modi For Delayed Trade DealMEA Calls For Firm Action As India Flags Disturbing Pattern Of Attacks On Minorities In BangladeshPM Modi To Host German Chancellor Merz In Gujarat As India-Germany Ties Enter Strategic Phase’PM Modi-Trump Held 8 Calls In 2025′: India Rejects Lutnick’s Claim On Stalled Trade AgreementThe Day CBI Arrested Indira Gandhi And Sonia’s Pasta Maker That May Have Saved The Day For Cong123PhotostoriesBirthday special: Hrithik Roshan’s social media moments with Saba Azad and familyBirthday Special: Hrithik Roshan’s movies to watch on OTTTaarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah: From calling Dilip Joshi the ‘pillar of the show’ to reacting to Disha Vakani aka Dayaben’s return, Sharad Sankla aka Abdul gets candid7 moon-kissed baby names for your little princessCurry-smelling kangaroos to banana bees: 6 animals that surprisingly smell like foodWhat teachers wish parents understood‘Hum Paanch’, ‘Dekh Bhai Dekh’, ‘Yes Boss’: Top TV comedy shows from the 90What students learn in school beyond the syllabusFrom ‘Highway’ to ‘Chhichhore’: 5 times mainstream films embraced unconventional charactersSadhguru’s Drumstick Soup is a winter must-have; recipe inside123Hot PicksTrump Mexico NewsTrump Denmark NewsGold rate todayBengaluru newsCigarette price hikePublic holidays January 2026Bank Holidays JanuaryTop TrendingCandace OwensTommy Fleetwood and Clare Fleetwood Net WorthTravis KelceVanessa BryantLos Angeles KingsBoston Celtics vs Toronto RaptorsLeBron JamesJa MorantWPL Live ScoreStefon Diggs
NEW DELHI: A Delhi court Friday ordered framing of charges against RJD chief Lalu Prasad and 40 other accused in alleged land-for-jobs scam, observing that there existed “an overarching criminal conspiracy, mentored by Lalu Prasad,” in which he is accused of giving away railway jobs in exchange for land parcels from candidates during his tenure as railway minister from 2004 to 2009. The Rouse Avenue court held that “public employment was being used as a bargaining chip” by Lalu to receive immovable properties through his wife Rabri Devi and daughters. Opening the way for trial in the case, judge Vishal Gogne said Lalu, along with accused family members, appeared “to be operating as a criminal enterprise aimed at usurping private land by bartering away government posts”. Rejecting pleas seeking discharge, the court said such arguments were “completely unwarranted,” particularly when ministry of railways was allegedly being “lorded over as a personal fiefdom.” According to chargesheet filed by CBI, court noted, “land parcels were transferred” either in the name of Rabri Devi or other family members and close associates. The court recorded that several accused general managers of Indian Railways had emerged as having made appointments “by abuse of their discretion,” particularly by engaging Group D substitutes in violation of norms. However, with respect to chief personnel officers, the court held they were liable to be discharged as they “neither possessed the discretion to make such appointments nor were they under the influence” of ministry.
