Delhi court grants interim bail to ex-Bihar CM Rabri Devi, daughters

New Delhi, Feb 9: A Delhi court on Friday granted interim bail to former Bihar Chief Minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's wife Rabri Devi and her daughters -- Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav -- till February 28 in a money laundering case pertaining to the alleged land-for-job scam matter.

Special Judge Vishal Gogne of Rouse Avenue had issued summons to them and others after taking cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate (ED)'s first charge sheet on January 27, asking them to physically appear in the court on February 9.

On Friday, the ED said that it needed time to file arguments on their regular bail application, prompting the judge to grant the three relief.

The judge allowed them the relief on Rs 1 lakh bail bond each.

On Monday, the court granted four-week interim bail on medical grounds to Amit Katyal, an alleged close associate of former Union minister Lalu Prasad's family, who has also been named along with some companies in the charge sheet.

Katyal, promoter of AK Infosystems, was arrested in November last year by the central probe agency.

Last time, the judge had directed the individuals named on the charge sheet to appear in the court saying there were sufficient grounds to proceed in the matter.

The court recently sought a reply from the CBI on an application moved by leader Lalu Prasad, his son and wife seeking supply of documents filed along with the charge sheet.

The court had asked the CBI to file a reply on pleas of eight accused seeking supply of deficient documents.

On October 3 last year, the court had granted bail to Lalu, son and wife in the case.

On September 22, the court took cognisance of a fresh charge sheet by the CBI against Lalu Prasad and others including his son and wife.

Since the probe agency did not oppose the bail, Additional Sessions Judge Geetanjali Goel granted bail.

The CBI had registered the case on May 18, 2022 against Lalu Prasad and 15 others, including his wife, two daughters and unidentified public servants and private persons.

The ED had said in July that it has attached assets worth more than Rs 6 crore belonging to Lalu Prasad's family -- his wife Rabri Devi and daughter Misa Bharti -- and linked companies as part of its money laundering investigation against them in the case.

The CBI had, on July 3, filed a charge sheet against Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi and their son Tejashwi Yadav.

"During the period 2004-2009, Lalu Prasad (then Railway Minister) 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' posts in different Zones of Railways," a CBI official had earlier said.

A number of residents of Patna themselves or through their family members sold and gifted their land in favour of the family members of Lalu Prasad and a private company controlled by him and his family.

"No advertisement or any public notice was issued for such appointment of substitutes in Zonal Railways, yet the appointees, who were residents of Patna, were appointed as substitutes in different Zonal Railways located in Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hajipur.

"In continuation of this modus operandi, about 1,05,292 sq. ft. land and immovable properties located in Patna were acquired by Lalu Prasad and his family members through five sales deeds and two gift deeds, showing the payment made to the seller in cash in most of the land transfer," the CBI had said.

The CBI had filed the charge sheet in the case on October 10, 2022 against 16 people, including Rabri Devi and her daughter, and sanction was then obtained to prosecute them