New Delhi: Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court has postponed the hearing on the framing of charges against the accused in the FIR filed by the CBI in the Land for Jobs case. Special Judge Vishal Gogane has ordered the hearing to be held tomorrow, December 11th. Today, the CBI requested time to file a status report regarding some of the deceased accused in the case, following which the court postponed the hearing until tomorrow, December 11th.
Previously, on December 8th, the court was informed that some of the accused in the case had died. Subsequently, the court directed the CBI to verify the deaths of the accused and file a status report. Previously, the court had postponed its decision on framing of charges against the accused twice. On December 4th and November 10th, the court had postponed its decision on framing of charges against the accused for various reasons. The court had previously reserved its decision on August 25th on the CBI’s case.
It should be noted that Lalu Yadav has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of the FIR filed by the CBI in this case and a stay on the trial court proceedings. Rabri Devi, the accused in this case, has filed a petition before the Principal and District Judge, seeking transfer from Judge Vishal Gogane’s court to another court. The petition filed before the Principal and District Judge is still pending.
During the High Court hearing, Kapil Sibal, representing Lalu Yadav, stated that the necessary permission to prosecute in this case was not obtained. Consequently, the entire investigation is illegal. An investigation cannot be initiated without the necessary permission. Sibal stated that the entire proceedings in this case are flawed. During the hearing, the CBI lawyer stated that Lalu Yadav is deliberately not arguing against the framing of charges in the trial court.
It should be noted that on July 18, the Supreme Court refused to stay the trial court proceedings. On October 7, 2022, the CBI filed a charge sheet against 16 accused, including Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, and Misa Bharti, in the Land for Jobs case. The trial court took cognizance of the CBI charge sheet on February 25. On June 7, 2024, the CBI filed a final charge sheet in the case, naming 78 people as accused. These 78 accused include 38 railway job candidates.
