New Delhi, March 24 In a setback to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused to quash the FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the land-for-jobs case involving him and his family.
Justice Ravinder Dudeja dismissed Yadav's petition, a former railway minister and ex-chief minister of Bihar, which also sought quashing of the three chargesheets filed in 2022, 2023, and 2024, as well as the subsequent orders of cognizance in the matter.
"The petition, being devoid of merit, is dismissed," the judge said while pronouncing the verdict.
A detailed copy of the verdict is awaited.
The 'land-for-jobs' case relates to Group D appointments made in the West Central Zone of the Indian Railways based in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, during Yadav's tenure as the rail minister between 2004 and 2009, allegedly in exchange for land parcels gifted or transferred by the recruits in the name of the RJD supremo's family or associates, officials said.
Yadav had contended that the inquiry, the FIR, as well as the investigation and subsequent chargesheets in the matter were legally unsustainable in the absence of prior sanction taken by CBI under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The case was registered on May 18, 2022, against Yadav and others, including his wife, two daughters, unidentified public officials, and private persons.
Yadav, 77, and others are currently out on bail.