The Delhi High Court rejected a petition by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad Yadav to quash a corruption case linked to an alleged land-for-jobs scam. Justice Ravinder Dudeja declined to intervene, citing the lack of merit in the plea. Lalu Prasad Yadav had argued that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) did not secure the required sanction under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act before launching the investigation.
The court’s decision is notable as it had previously declined to halt trial proceedings in the case, a ruling upheld by the Supreme Court. Lalu Prasad Yadav’s plea for a stay on the trial was turned down by the apex court, which directed the Delhi High Court to address the quashing petition. The case revolves around allegations of appointments in the Indian Railways being traded for land transfers to the family and associates of the former Railway Minister.
In May 2022, the CBI registered the case against Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, and others, including unidentified public servants. Charge sheets were subsequently filed against multiple individuals under anti-corruption laws. Additionally, the Delhi High Court had issued a notice to the CBI on another plea by Lalu Prasad Yadav challenging a trial court’s order to frame charges against him in the same matter.
