Lalu Prasad
New Delhi: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad has increased difficulties. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday informed a Delhi court that it had received necessary approval to prosecute the Money Laundering case related to the Land for Job Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. This ‘scam’ took place when Lalu Prasad was the Union Railway Minister.
The case will be heard on 23 May
The ED told the court that on May 8, President Draupadi Murmu had approved the money laundering case to prosecute Lalu Prasad. According to the agency, President Murmu gave mandatory permission under Section 197 (1) (Section 218 of the Indian Civil Protection Code, 2023) of the Criminal Procedure Code. On Wednesday, Special Judge Vishal Gogne fixed the date of 23 May for hearing the case after the ED gave information about the approval of prosecution.
The judge said, “ED has filed an application to bring the approval received from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India for prosecution against Lalu Prasad Yadav. It is listed for hearing on May 23, 2025. ”Advocate Manish Jain appeared in the court on behalf of ED. The case has been investigated by the ED.
Chargesheet entered in August last year
The Federal Investigation Agency filed a charge sheet in August last year against former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav (76), his son and former Deputy Chief Minister of the state Tejashwi Yadav and other family members. Earlier, in January 2024, the ED filed its first charge sheet against Amit Katyal, an alleged associate of Lalu Prasad’s family and other family members of Prasad. It includes Lalu Prasad’s wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, MP daughter Misa Bharti, another daughter Hema Yadav and two related companies – AK Infosystems Private Limited and AB Exports Private Limited.
The court recently took cognizance of both these chargesheets (complaints of prosecution). The ED case is based on the FIR lodged by the CBI, alleging that Lalu Prasad was involved in ‘corruption’ in the recruitment of Group D posts in Indian Railways during 2004-2009. (Language)
