New Delhi, August 19(HS):The high-profile “Land-for-Job” case witnessed heated arguments in Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court today, as accused and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi defended herself, stating that “purchasing land with money is not a crime” and insisting that no jobs were given in exchange immediately after the land deals.

Special Judge Vishal Gogne is set to continue the hearing on the framing of charges on August 20.

During today’s proceedings, Rabri Devi’s counsel argued that the land transactions were legitimate, supported by registered sale deeds, and that jobs were not provided to anyone until six years after the land was purchased. The defense stressed that monetary land purchases cannot be construed as a criminal act intended to confer undue benefits.

The case has been making headlines since October 7, 2024, when the court granted bail to RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, and his brother Tej Pratap Yadav, along with four other accused, against sureties of ₹1 lakh each.

Earlier, on March 7, 2024, Rabri Devi, MP Misa Bharti, Hema Yadav, and Hridayanand Chaudhary were also granted regular bail in a parallel Enforcement Directorate (ED) case. The ED had filed its first supplementary chargesheet on August 6, 2024, which was formally taken cognizance of by the court on September 18, 2024.

The ED’s chargesheet named 11 accused and cited 96 documents as evidence, intensifying the legal scrutiny on the Lalu Yadav family and close aides.

With the next hearing scheduled for tomorrow, the case continues to stir political and legal circles, as the court inches closer to deciding whether formal charges will be framed against the prominent political figures involved.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar