New Delhi, Jan 29 A Delhi court on Thursday said the prosecution will submit its evidence from March 9-28 in the alleged land-for-jobs scam involving former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and others.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne was hearing the case, which was listed for formal framing of charges.
The court granted liberty to Lalu Prasad, wife Rabri Devi, sons Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav, and some others to appear in person between February 1 and 28 for formal framing of charges.
On January 9, the court had ordered framing charges against Lalu Prasad, his family members and others.
It has framed charges in the case against 41 accused persons and discharged 52 others. Out of the 103 accused named in the CBI's chargesheet, five have died.
On Thursday, the court exempted Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav from physical appearance after hearing submissions from their counsels.
During the proceedings, Lalu Prasad's daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav appeared physically and denied the charges.
The court said, “Let accused no. 40 (Awadhesh Kumar), accused no. 49 (Cais Ali Ansari), accused no. 102 (Mustakeem Ansari) and accused no. 103 (Lal Babu) appear physically for framing of charges on February 10."
It also allowed the plea of another accused to appear for the formal framing of charges on February 16.
“The remaining accused, who have been exempted from appearance for today, are at liberty to appear physically for framing of charges between February 1 and February 28 after moving an application for listing of the matter one day prior to their intended date of appearance in the above time frame,” the court said.
It said that the matter would be taken up for prosecution evidence from March 9 to March 28.
In his 346-page order on January 9, Judge Gogne had said, “The court finds, on the touchstone of grave suspicion, that there existed an overarching criminal conspiracy, mentored by Lalu Prasad Yadav, towards using public employment as a bargaining chip for receiving immovable properties through his wife Rabri Devi, daughters Misha Bharti and Hema Yadav, as well as sons Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav from willing job seekers.”
The order had cited the CBI's chargesheet and said there was a strong indication that the close associates of Lalu Prasad, namely Bhola Yadav, R K Mahajan and P C Gupta, probably facilitated, as co-conspirators, the acquisition of these lands in lieu of jobs provided to the nominees of Lalu Prasad in Group D posts across various railway zones in the country.
