Overview
- Special Judge Vishal Gogne ordered charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Lalu Prasad Yadav and under IPC provisions for cheating and criminal conspiracy against family members and others.
- The court described an overarching conspiracy that used public employment as a bargaining chip and rejected pleas for discharge at this pre-trial stage.
- Investigators allege Group-D railway appointments from 2004 to 2009 were traded for land parcels transferred to the Yadav family or linked entities at below-market rates.
- The court discharged 52 accused and said proceedings would continue against the remaining surviving accused, with formal steps toward trial scheduled later in January.
- A related ED money-laundering probe continues, prosecution sanction was earlier granted by the Union Home Ministry, and the accused deny wrongdoing and call the case politically motivated.