A Delhi court on Saturday summoned Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Dev, their daughter Hema Yadav and others to appear before it on February 9 in connection with the alleged land-for-job scam.
During a hearing held earlier in the day, Delhi Rouse Avenue Court acknowledged the chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the money laundering probe into the alleged land-for-jobs scam involving Lalu Yadav and his family members.
The probe agency has issued its first chargesheet including names of Rabri Devi, Hema Yadav, Misa Bharti, Amit Katyali, Hridayanand Chaudhary, and others in the case.
The Rouse Avenue Court took cognisance of the ED's chargesheet, emphasising the presence of sufficient material to warrant such action. The alleged close aide of the Yadav family, Amit Katyali, and former railway employee Hridayanand Chaudhary, have also been summoned to appear before the court on the same date.
During a hearing earlier this month, the Enforcement Directorate told the Rouse Avenue Court that the "string was in the hands of the main accused in the CBI offence, Lalu Yadav and his family".
The recent summons came at a time when Bihar is witnessing yet another political crisis with incumbent Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reportedly aiming to snap ties with the RJD and form a new government in Bihar with the support of National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
"Land parcels have been bought. In 2014, this company was transferred under the names of Rabri Devi and (Bihar Deputy Chief Minister) Tejashwi Yadav," the ED alleged.
"The matter is of seven land parcels. Accusations against Rabri Devi are for three land parcels, Hima Yadav for two parcels and Misa Bharti for one," it added.
The probe agency also alleged that Rs 50 lakhs were infused into AB export through Tejashwi Yadav.
It is alleged that several people were appointed to Group "D" positions in various zones of the Indian Railways between 2004 and 2009. These people, instead, transferred their land to the family members of Lalu Yadav and a linked company named AK Infosystems Private Limited.
