IRCTC job scam: Lalu Prasad’s close aide Bhola Yadav arrested, says CBI

Confirming his arrest, CBI official added that separate teams carried out searches in his residences and flats at four places including Patna and Darbhanga

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad’s close aide Bhola Yadav, a former MLA and general secretary of RJD was arrested by CBI in connection with IRCTC job scam during the former’s tenure as railway minister.

Bhola Yadav’s house at Friend’s colony, in Patna. (Santosh Kumar (HT photo))

Bhola is reportedly said to be the kingpin in the scam as he was the OSD of then railway minister Lalu Prasad.

Confirming his arrest, CBI official added that separate teams carried out searches in his residences and flats at four places including Patna and Darbhanga.

CBI had lodged a case against the railway minister, his wife, two daughters, public servants and others.

In the FIR, it was alleged that the then Minister of Railway (Govt of India) during the period 2004-2009 had obtained pecuniary advantages in the form of transfer of landed property in the name of his family members in lieu of appointment of Substitutes in Group “D” Post in different Zones of Railways. It was further alleged that in lieu thereof the substitutes, who were residents of Patna themselves or through their family members sold and gifted their land situated at Patna in favour of the family members of said minister and a private company controlled by family members, which was also involved in transfer of such immovable properties in the name of said family members.

It was also alleged that no advertisement or any public notice was issued for such appointment of substitutes in Zonal Railways, yet the appointees who were residents of Patna were appointed as substitutes in different zonal railways located at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hazipur.

In continuation of this modus operandi, about 1,05,292 square feet land/ immovable properties situated at Patna were acquired by family members of said minister through 05 sale deeds and 02 gift deeds, showing the payment made to seller in cash in most of the land transfer, the FIR added.