CBI Challenges Lalu Prasad Yadav's Bid to Quash 'Land-for-Jobs' FIR

The CBI opposed Lalu Prasad Yadav's plea in Delhi High Court to quash the FIR in the land-for-jobs scam, urging it be rejected due to delay. The case, tied to Yadav's stint as railway minister, involves appointments linked to land deals, filed over two years past the cognisance order.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has strongly opposed a plea by RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav, seeking to quash an FIR in the high-stakes land-for-jobs scam. The plea was brought before the Delhi High Court and is being challenged on multiple procedural grounds.

The CBI's objections were centered around the plea's perceived lack of timeliness and proper jurisdiction. Additional Solicitor General S V Raju argued in court that Yadav's petition is inadmissible due to the elapsed period for filing. Filed over two years after the chargesheet cognisance, the case timeline does not support Yadav's quashing petition.

The case, concerning appointments made in the Indian Railways' Group D positions, raises significant legal questions. Alleged to involve land deals made during Yadav's tenure as railway minister, the investigation is also contested for lack of proper sanction to prosecute. Despite challenges, the Supreme Court refused to stay trial proceedings, marking the case's complexity and high-profile nature.

(With inputs from agencies.)