Land-for-jobs scam: Delhi court summons Lalu Prasad Yadav, his son Tej Pratap and daughter Hema Yadav

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Tuesday summoned former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav, his son Tej Pratap and his daughter Hema in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs scam.
The summons, issued on Tuesday by Special Judge Vishal Gogne, also extends to Prasad himself, along with his younger son, former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. The accused have been directed to appear before the court on March 11.
The case revolves around appointments made to Group D positions in the West Central Zone of Indian Railways, based in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, between 2004 and 2009, when Lalu Prasad served as Union Rail Minister. Investigators allege that jobs were granted in exchange for land parcels gifted or transferred to the Yadav family or their associates.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered the case on May 18, 2022, against Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, two daughters, and several unidentified public officials and private individuals. The CBI informed the court last year that it had obtained the necessary sanctions to prosecute Prasad, with nearly 30 other accused awaiting similar approvals.
Investigators claim that beneficiaries of these railway jobs transferred land to companies linked to the Yadav family, including A K Infosystems Private Limited and A B Exports Pvt Ltd. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has described these as shell entities allegedly used to launder illicit gains. A K Infosystems, with an address in Delhi’s New Friends Colony, was reportedly operated by Tejashwi Yadav and an associate of the Yadav family, Syed Abu Dojana.
The ED has further alleged that Rabri Devi and Hema Yadav acquired four land parcels from job applicants and later sold them for Rs 3.5 crore—significantly higher than the Rs 7.5 lakh acquisition cost—deriving substantial financial benefits. These funds were allegedly funneled into other entities, such as Bhagirathi Tubes.
According to the ED, the land-for-jobs scheme allowed the Yadav family to amass land parcels now valued at over Rs 200 crore.