New Delhi, February 16 A Delhi court formally framed charges against former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi in the alleged land-for-jobs scam on Monday.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne said, "The charges have been framed against the accused 1 (Lalu Prasad) and accused 2 (Rabri Devi), to which they have pleaded not guilty and claimed trial."
The matter has been listed for further proceedings on February 27.
On January 29, the judge granted liberty to Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, sons Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav, and others to appear in person between February 1 and 28 for formal framing of charges.
On January 9, the court had ordered the framing of charges against Lalu Prasad, his family members and others.
The court has framed charges in the case against 41 accused persons and discharged 52 others. Out of the 103 accused named in the CBI's chargesheet, five have died.
In his 346-page order, Judge Gogne said, "The court finds, on the basis of strong suspicion, that there existed a criminal conspiracy, mentored by Lalu Prasad Yadav, towards using public employment as a bargaining chip for receiving immovable properties through his wife Rabri Devi, daughters Misha Bharti and Hema Yadav, as well as sons Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav from willing job seekers."
The order cited the CBI's chargesheet and said there was a strong indication that the close associates of Lalu Prasad, namely Bhola Yadav, R K Mahajan and P C Gupta, probably facilitated, as co-conspirators, the acquisition of these lands in lieu of jobs provided to the nominees of the former railway minister in Group D posts across various railway zones in the country.
