In a major legal setback, the Delhi High Court has refused to quash the CBI FIR in the alleged land-for-jobs case involving former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, ruling that his petition lacked merit and allowing the investigation to continue.
The plea, which also sought to nullify multiple charge sheets filed between 2022 and 2024, was dismissed by Justice Ravinder Dudeja. The court rejected Yadav’s argument that the FIR, investigation, and subsequent chargesheets were invalid due to the absence of prior sanction under the Prevention of Corruption Act, holding instead that the Central Bureau of Investigation had obtained the required approval.
The case centres on alleged irregular appointments to Group D posts in the Indian Railways between 2004 and 2009, during Yadav’s tenure as railway minister. According to investigators, candidates or their families allegedly transferred land parcels to Yadav’s relatives or associates in exchange for jobs, forming the basis of the corruption allegations.
The FIR, registered in May 2022, names Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, their daughters, and several unidentified public officials and private individuals. All accused are currently out on bail as the trial proceeds.
The High Court’s decision comes amid ongoing legal proceedings, including a separate plea by Rabri Devi seeking access to “unrelied documents” collected during the investigation. A trial court had earlier rejected such requests, observing that providing these materials at an early stage could disrupt the judicial process and potentially delay the trial.
In earlier orders, the trial court also noted that Yadav had allegedly misused his official position to influence recruitment decisions, with the assistance of associates, including his then personal secretary. Corruption charges have already been framed against multiple accused in the case.
With the High Court declining to intervene, the case will now move forward, intensifying legal scrutiny on Yadav and others involved in the proceedings.
