ED conducts raids at 15 locations in land-for-job scam

New Delhi, March 10 The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting raids at 15 places in connection to the land-for-job scam in which the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had recently grilled former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad.

The ED's case is on the basis of the CBI's FIR.

In its case, the CBI alleged that it was found during investigation that the accused in conspiracy with the then GM and CPO of Central Railways engaged persons as substitutes in lieu of land either in their name or in the name of close relatives of Lalu Prasad's family.

The CBI registered a case against Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, their two daughters and 15 others.

"During the period 2004-2009 Yadav 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' Post in different zones of railways," the official said.

A number of residents of Patna themselves or through their family members sold and gifted their land in the state capital in favour of the Yadavs and a private company controlled by Lalu Prasad and his family and they were also involved in transfer of such immovable properties.

"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 at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hazipur.

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

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