Supreme Court Setback For Lalu Yadav Ahead Of Bihar Elections

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's plea against the Delhi High Court's refusal to stay trial court proceedings against him in the land-for-jobs scam case.

The top court today said that it is not inclined to interfere with the matter at this stage.

A Bench Of Justices MM Sunderesh and N Koteshwar Singh said that "We are not inclined to interfere except by observing that at the time of disposing the final matter the observation made in the impugned order will not stand in the way."

The bench observed that "Considering the fact and circumstances of the case we are inclined to pass further order to the effect that he may not be personally present and therefore his appearance is dispensed with. We request the High Court to expedite the hearing. Disposed of accordingly."

Mr Yadav has moved the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court order which had refused to stay CBI proceedings against him in the land-for-jobs corruption case in June this year. 

Lalu Yadav has challenged that high court order in the top court. 

A Bench of Justice Ravinder Dudeja had dismissed the application for stay of proceedings and held that there were no compelling reasons warranting judicial interference at the interim stage, especially in light of the pending adjudication before the Supreme Court on the core issue of applicability of Section 17-A PC Act.

What is Land-For-Jobs case?

It is alleged that the Group-D appointments made in the West Central Zone of the Indian Railway based in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, during Lalu Yadav's tenure as the rail minister between 2004 and 2009 were allegedly in return for land parcels gifted or transferred by the recruits in the name of the RJD supremo's family members or associates.

The case was registered on May 18, 2022 against Mr Yadav and others, including his wife, two daughters, unidentified public officials and private persons.

In his petition in the high court, Lalu Yadav had sought the quashing of the FIR as well as the three chargesheets filed in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and the consequential orders of cognisance.

It was his argument that the FIR was lodged in 2022, that is, almost after a delay of 14 years, despite the CBI's initial enquiries and investigations being closed after the filing of the closure report before the competent court.