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The Delhi High Court has dismissed Lalu Prasad Yadav’s plea to quash the land-for-jobs case, ruling it lacks merit and allowing the CBI probe and trial proceedings to continue.
Delhi High Court rejects Lalu Yadav's plea to quash Land-for-Jobs case
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav seeking to quash the land-for-jobs case registered against him and his family members.
Justice Ravinder Dudeja ruled that the plea lacked merit and declined to interfere with the ongoing investigation and trial.
Yadav had approached the court seeking quashing of the First Information Report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation in 2022. He also requested the court to set aside the chargesheets and the trial court’s cognisance orders.
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However, the High Court refused to grant relief, stating that the petition did not warrant judicial intervention at this stage.
A key argument by Yadav’s legal team was that the CBI failed to obtain prior sanction under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act before initiating the probe.
The provision requires government approval before investigating public servants for decisions made during official duties.
The court, however, held that Section 17A is prospective in nature and does not apply to alleged offences committed between 2004 and 2009. It clarified that the absence of prior sanction does not invalidate the FIR or subsequent proceedings.
The case pertains to allegations that during his tenure as Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009, Yadav facilitated appointments to Group D posts in the Indian Railways in exchange for land parcels.
According to the CBI, candidates or their relatives allegedly transferred land in Patna and other locations to Yadav’s family members or associated entities at nominal prices, bypassing standard recruitment procedures.
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The High Court had earlier declined to stay trial proceedings, a decision that was upheld by the Supreme Court of India. With the latest ruling, the legal proceedings in the case will continue in the trial court.
Yadav and his family have denied all allegations, maintaining that the case is politically motivated. Senior advocates including Kapil Sibal and Maninder Singh represented Yadav, while the CBI was represented by senior law officers.
