A Delhi court on Friday (January 9, 2026) framed charges against former Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, members of his family, and several others in a corruption case linked to the alleged land-for-jobs scam being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Special Judge Vishal Gogne observed that Mr. Prasad had allegedly treated the Railway Ministry as his “personal fiefdom” and orchestrated a criminal enterprise in which public employment was used as leverage to acquire land parcels for the Yadav family, in collusion with railway officials and close associates.
The court framed charges against 41 accused and discharged 52 others, including several railway officials. Earlier in the proceedings, the CBI submitted a verification report stating that five of the 103 accused named in its chargesheet had died.
The CBI has filed chargesheets against Mr. Prasad, his wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, their son Tejashwi Yadav, and others in connection with the alleged scam.
According to the agency’s FIR, between 2004 and 2009, appointments to Group ‘D’ posts in various zones of the Indian Railways were allegedly made in exchange for land parcels. The CBI claimed these appointments were secured through pressure exerted by the Railway Ministry, which was headed by Mr. Prasad at the time.
All the accused have denied the allegations, maintaining that the case is politically motivated.
