Delhi High Court dismisses Lalu Yadav’s plea to quash CBI FIR in land-for-jobs case

In his order, Justice Ravinder Dudeja said the section was introduced in 2018 with prospective effect, whereas the allegations date back to 2004-2009, and the court was "persuaded" by the agency's stand that permitting a belated challenge on a technical plea relating to prior approval would defeat the "orderly administration of criminal justice".

Justice Ravinder Dudeja dismissed the petition by Yadav, a former railway minister and ex-chief minister of Bihar, that also sought quashing of the three chargesheets filed in 2022, 2023 and 2024, and the subsequent orders of cognisance in the matter.

"The petition, being devoid of merit, is dismissed," the judge said while pronouncing the verdict.

The 'land-for-jobs' case is related to Group D appointments made in the West Central Zone of the Indian Railways in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, during Yadav's tenure as the rail minister between 2004 and 2009, allegedly in return for land parcels gifted or transferred by the recruits in the name of the RJD supremo's family or associates, officials said.