According to CBI officials, searches are being conducted at two places in Patna, including the premises of Mr. Yadav’s Chartered Accountant
According to CBI officials, searches are being conducted at two places in Patna, including the premises of Mr. Yadav’s Chartered Accountant
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Bhola Yadav, former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the then Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, for alleged involvement in the land-for-job scam, officials said on Wednesday, July 27, 2022.
“Searches are being conducted at two places in Patna, including the premises of Mr. Yadav’s Chartered Accountant, and two in Darbhanga, Bihar,” said a CBI official. The accused was the then Railway Minister’s OSD in 2004-09.
In May, the agency had searched over a dozen locations in Delhi and Bihar after registering the case against Mr. Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, two daughters Misha Bharti and Hema Yadav, and 12 others for alleged appointment of substitutes to the Railways’ Group-D posts in lieu of land parcels.
The case is based on a CBI preliminary enquiry launched on September 23, 2021, into the allegation that during 2004-09 several persons were appointed as substitutes to the Group-D posts in different zones, in exchange for land. The beneficiaries were later regularised.
‘Approval for substitutes’
As alleged, no advertisement or public notice had been issued for the appointments. The beneficiaries’ applications were not properly addressed to the departments concerned, but they were processed in alleged violation of the laid down rules.
“…undue haste was shown in processing certain applications of candidates and, surprisingly, within three days from the date of receipt of the respective applications, their appointments as substitutes were approved,” said the First Information Report (FIR).
The FIR alleged that several residents of Patna were appointed as substitutes in Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hajipur. The land parcels given in bribes were transferred in the name of Mr. Prasad’s family members and AK Infosystem Private Limited.
Seven such instances, including one in which four members of a family were appointed in 2008, was detected by the agency. Three sale deeds were executed in favour of Ms. Rabri Devi, one land was transferred in the name of Ms. Bharti and another “sold” to AK Infosystems, whose assets were later taken over by Mr. Prasad’s wife and a daughter in 2014, the FIR alleged.
While two land parcels were initially given to one Hridyanand Choudhary, a Gopalganj resident, and Lalan Choudhary from Siwan, the two later executed gift deeds Ms. Hema Yadav’s favour.
About 1,05,292 sq ft of land in Patna was acquired by Mr. Prasad’s family members via the five sale deeds and two gift deeds. In most cases, payment to the sellers was shown in cash. The current circle-rate value of the seven land parcels is more than ₹4.39 crore.
The land parcels directly transferred to Mr. Prasad’s family members were purchased at prices — ranging from ₹3.75 lakh to ₹13 lakh — lower than the then prevailing circle rates, the FIR alleged.
Who is Bhola Yadav?
Mr. Yadav is currently General Secretary of RJD. He has also been a member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council.
Mr. Yadav has been close to Lalu Prasad’s family for a long and was known as Man Friday of Lalu Prasad. He has been taking care of ailing Lalu Prasad in hospital and outside, and was also managing his political appointments.
Recently, Lalu Prasad’s elder son Tej Pratap Yadav tweeted to slam Mr. Bhola Yadav for preventing him to recite Bhagwat Gita in Prasad’s hospital room for his speedy recovery.
