Bihar NDA leaders welcome charges against Lalu, kin

The NDA in Bihar on Friday welcomed a Delhi court’s order directing framing of charges against RJD chief and former railway minister Lalu Prasad, his family members and others in the alleged land-for-job scam.

Special Judge Vishal Gogne said Lalu Prasad used the railway ministry as his personal fiefdom to carry out a criminal enterprise, where public employment was used as a bargaining chip to acquire land parcels by the Yadav family in connivance with railway officials and his close aides.

Reacting to the order, BJP state president Sanjay Saraogi said the law was supreme and those who had “committed scams and corruption” would face legal action.

“Those involved in corruption are being dealt with by the law. The court will frame charges and deliver an appropriate verdict against anyone who indulges in corruption or scams,” Saraogi said in a statement. He said the “court has acknowledged” that the crime was carried out under a “well-planned and broad-based criminal conspiracy”.

“The court has held that Lalu Prasad’s entire family runs a political-criminal syndicate. The family treats politics as a tool to amass wealth. This family has built its assets by looting Bihar’s public exchequer and plundering the poor people of the state,” he said.

He alleged that “during the 15 years of jungle raj”, Lalu Prasad’s family appropriated thousands of crores of rupees through multiple scams, which “obstructed Bihar’s development” and brought “disrepute to the state”.

State Rural Development minister and senior JDU leader Shrawon Kumar asserted that there should be no political interference in the course of law.

“Everyone should respect the decision of the court, and those who have done wrong will face the consequences,” he said.

Minister of Panchayati Raj Deepak Prakash said, “Charges have been framed, and based on that, the trial will proceed. We hope that the matter is resolved quickly, and those engaged in corruption are punished.”

Minister and former BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal asserted that Lalu Prasad and his family must follow the orders and directions of the court.

“Lalu ji and his family were given a fair chance to present their case. The court has given the verdict after listening to both sides and based on the evidence presented by the investigating agency. Lalu Prasad must follow the directions of the court,” he added.

Meanwhile, RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari alleged that probe agencies were working in connivance with the central government as part of a political vendetta.

“The case was closed long before, but enforcement agencies reopened it following directions of the central government to trouble Lalu Prasad and his family,” he said.

Tiwari alleged that since the BJP was unable to “compete politically” with Lalu Prasad and the RJD, they resorted to “misuse of investigation agencies.”

The RJD spokesperson asserted that the party will “continue the legal fight till justice is served.”

Senior minister Ashok Choudhary said if RJD leaders feel they are being treated unfairly, they should approach higher courts.

“This is a judicial process. The court follows its own procedures and delivers justice accordingly. If they feel they have been treated unfairly, there are higher courts where they can present their case,” he said.

JDU MLC Neeraj Kumar also alleged that Prasad’s family was running a criminal-political syndicate.

“We expect the judiciary to expedite the trial and confiscate their property. Orphanages, widow homes and hostels for EBC students should be built there to send a strong message that politics is not a business for running a crime syndicate,” he said.

BJP’s state spokesperson Niraj Kumar alleged that Prasad’s family used politics as a tool for corruption to accumulate wealth by looting the people of Bihar, including the poor.

“It is clear from the court’s order that Prasad's family runs a criminal syndicate. We demand that their international property should, too, be investigated,” he added.