CBI arrests Lalu Prasad's aide Bhola Yadav in land-for-job scam
New Delhi, July 27
The CBI on Wednesday arrested Bhola Yadav, former OSD of Lalu Prasad, in connection with its probe into the alleged land-for-job scam, officials in the agency said.
Bhola Yadav was Lalu Prasad’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD) from 2004 to 2009.
The officials said that during investigation the probe team found Bhola Yadav’s alleged role in the scam. The CBI is also conducting search operations at four locations – two at Patna and two at Darbhanga – belonging to him.
Yadav will be produced before Rouse Avenue court later in the day and his two-week custody would be sought, the officials said.
In May, the CBI had raided 16 locations during which it recovered a few incriminating documents from the premises of Lalu Prasad and his family.
According to information, the CBI registered a case against Lalu Yadav, the then railway minister, his wife Rabri Devi, two daughters and 15 others, including unidentified public servants and private persons.
“From 2004-2009, Lalu Yadav had obtained pecuniary advantages in the form of transfer of landed property in the name of his family members in lieu of appointment of substitutes in Group D posts in different zones of railways,” an official alleged.
A number of residents of Patna themselves or through their families sold and gifted their land situated in Patna in favour of the Yadav family and a private company controlled by Yadav and his family and they were also involved in transfer of such immovable properties.
The agency has also arrested a railway employee, Hridayanand Chaudhary, who is an alleged beneficiary of the scam, the officials said.
“During investigation, it was found that Bhola Yadav was involved in the alleged conspiracy in appointment of substitutes. It was further alleged that the accused was managing affairs in transfer of land by the family of substitutes to the family of former railway minister,” a spokesperson of the agency said in a statement.
The agency has alleged that land measuring about 1.05 lakh square feet in Patna was acquired by Prasad’s family by making payments to the sellers in cash.
“The current value of the above said seven parcels of land, including the land acquired through gift deeds, as per the existing circle rate is about Rs 4.39 crore. Enquiry has revealed that the parcel of land, which was directly purchased by the family of Lalu Prasad Yadav from the sellers, was purchased at lower rates than the prevailing circle rates,” the FIR has alleged.
It said people were appointed in the railways without any advertisement or public notice issued for the purpose on the basis of forged documents. With PTI
