SC refuses to defer hearing on framing of charges against Lalu Prasad in land-for-jobs case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to defer the framing of charges by the trial court in the land-for-jobs scam case involving Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad during his tenure as Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009.

A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh observed that the framing of charges by the trial court would not render the pending petition before the Delhi High Court infructuous. The court refused to interfere with the proceedings at this stage, rejecting a plea by Lalu Prasad seeking a deferment.

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During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), opposed Prasad’s request and urged the court to impose costs on him for filing the application. However, the bench did not impose any such cost.

This is the second time the Supreme Court has declined relief to the RJD leader in the matter. On July 18, it had similarly refused to stay the trial proceedings while hearing his plea against the Delhi High Court’s order.

On May 29, the Delhi High Court had dismissed Lalu Prasad’s petition seeking a stay on the trial proceedings, observing that no compelling grounds existed for such intervention. Nonetheless, the High Court issued notice to the CBI on his plea seeking quashing of the FIR and posted the matter for final hearing on August 12.

The case, registered by the CBI on May 18, 2022, alleges that Lalu Prasad misused his official position during his tenure as Railway Minister to facilitate appointments to Group “D” posts in exchange for land parcels acquired in the name of his family members.

The CBI has contended that these appointments were made without any formal advertisement or public recruitment process and were allegedly facilitated by senior officials in the West Central Railway under direct instructions from Lalu Prasad. The appointments were found to be in violation of the Indian Railways’ established recruitment norms.

Following the investigation, the CBI filed a charge sheet on June 7, naming Lalu Prasad, members of his family, and 77 others, including 38 job aspirants, as accused in the case.