Ganesh Kendale
NEW DELHI\ PATNA: A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to RJD president Lalu Prasad in a money laundering case connected to the alleged land-for-jobs scam when he was railway minister from 2004 to 2009. Sons Tejaswi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav were also given similar relief.
Special judge Vishal Gogne asked the three furnish bail bonds of Rs 1 lakh and fixed Oct 25 as the next hearing date.All three appeared before the judge in response to the court’s summons on Sept 18. Lalu’s daughter and MP Misa Bharti accompanied them.
After the order, Lalu expressed faith in the judiciary. Younger son and Bihar leader of opposition Tejashwi echoed the views. “We have got justice and we will get justice in the future, too. This is part of BJP’s political vendetta against the opposition,” Tejashwi told reporters outside the Rouse Avenue Court. Misa, RJD MP from Patliputra, chimed in, saying the Centre was attempting to “entrap” the opposition.
Tej Pratap Yadav was summoned for the first time in the case. The judge said his involvement could not be ruled out as he was among the directors of a company, AK Infosys Ltd, named in an ED chargesheet.
ED had filed a supplementary chargesheet against 11 accused on Aug 6 this year. Four of the 11 have died. In its first chargesheet, of over 4,500 pages, ED had named Lalu’s wife Rabri Devi, Misa and others. These included Lalu’s alleged aide Amit Katyal and two companies — AK Infosystems and AB Exports. Delhi HC granted Katyal bail last month.
On Jan 27 this year, the court had summoned Rabri and her daughters, along with others, after taking cognisance of an ED chargesheet. In June, CBI filed a conclusive chargesheet against Lalu and around 77 others, including 38 candidates. The CBI case relates to alleged corruption and criminal conspiracy tied to the scam.
The case pertains to Group-D appointments made in West Central Railway, Jabalpur, when Lalu was minister, allegedly in return for land for his family and associates.
