A Delhi court on Friday framed charges of corruption and criminal conspiracy against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family in connection with the Railways land-for-jobs scam. While passing the order, the court observed that Lalu Yadav and his family functioned as a “criminal enterprise” during the period under investigation.

The order was passed by Special Judge Vishal Gogne, who said that the court found, “based on reasonable doubt”, the existence of a widespread conspiracy involving Lalu Yadav and his family members. The court made these observations while considering the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the case.

The court rejected the plea seeking the acquittal of Lalu Yadav and his family members, stating that such a plea was “untenable” at this stage. It noted that the material placed before it showed a clear pattern of conspiracy and misuse of public employment for personal benefit.

According to the court, Lalu Yadav’s close aides were also identified as co-conspirators in the alleged scam. The judge observed that Lalu Yadav and his family were part of an overarching conspiracy and “functioned as a criminal enterprise,” using railway jobs as leverage to acquire land and properties.

The court further stated that public employment was used as a tool to obtain land parcels, and this was done independently of the official positions held by the accused. The judge said that the alleged acts were not isolated incidents but part of a larger, organised scheme.

As part of the order, the court said that charges would be framed against 46 of the 98 surviving accused named in the case. This list includes Lalu Yadav and members of his family. At the same time, the court ordered the acquittal of the remaining 52 accused, stating that there was no substantial evidence against them as per the CBI’s chargesheet.

The case relates to allegations made by the CBI that during Lalu Yadav’s tenure as Railway Minister between 2004 and 2009, Group D railway jobs were given to candidates in return for land parcels being transferred to his family members.

According to the probe agency, several job aspirants or their relatives either sold or gifted land located in Patna and other places to members of the Yadav family and firms linked to them. The CBI has alleged that these land transfers were made at throwaway prices.

The agency has further claimed that no proper recruitment process was followed while appointing candidates to Group D posts in the Railways. It is alleged that jobs were offered in exchange for land, bypassing established rules and procedures.

The court also took note of the fact that both the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court had earlier rejected pleas filed by Lalu Yadav seeking to halt the trial in the matter. These rejections came last year, allowing the trial process to continue.

The Yadav family has denied all allegations related to the case. They have consistently maintained that the case is politically motivated and aimed at targeting them. However, the court, while framing charges, said the material on record justified proceeding against the accused.

With the framing of charges, the case will now move to the next stage of trial, where evidence will be examined in detail.