The CBI on Wednesday said it has arrested Bhola Yadav, then officer on special duty (OSD) to then Railways Minister Lalu Prasad and another employee of the railways in connection with the land-for-job scam.
Besides Bhola Yadav, the agency arrested Hridayanand Choudhary, substitute employee of the Railways.
The CBI also conducted searches at four locations, including Patna and Darbhanga, on the premises of the accused and a private person. Both arrested accused are being produced before a court.
“During investigation, it was found that the OSD to the former Railway Minister, during the period 2005-2009, was involved in the alleged conspiracy in the appointment of substitutes,” the CBI said in a statement
It was further alleged that the accused was managing affairs in transfer of land by the family members of substitutes to the family members of former Railway Minister (Lalu Yadav) and also engaging substitutes in Railway,” the CBI said in a statement.
It was also alleged that the then OSD had acquired some properties during the relevant period.
The CBI had registered a case on May 18, 2022 against former Railways Minister Lalu Yadav and 15 others, including his wife, two daughters and unknown public servants and private persons.
It was alleged in the FIR that Lalu Yadav, during the period 2004-2009, 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” Post in different Zones of Railways.
It was further alleged that in lieu of the jobs, the substitutes, who were residents of Patna themselves or through their family members sold and gifted their land situated at Patna in favour of the family members of the said minister and a private company controlled by his family members, which was also involved in transfer of such immovable properties in the name of said family members.
It was also alleged that no advertisement or any public notice was issued for such appointments of substitutes in Zonal Railways, yet the appointees who were residents of Patna were appointed as Substitutes in different Zonal Railways located at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hajipur.
It was further alleged that in continuation of this modus operandi, about 1,05,292 Sq. feet land/ immovable properties situated at Patna were acquired by family members of Lalu Yadav through five sale deeds and two gift deeds, showing the payment made to the seller in cash in most of the land transfer.
Earlier, searches were conducted on May 20 at 16 places in Delhi, Patna and Gopalganj.