BJP says law 'catching up' with Lalu after court orders framing of charges in land-for-job case

New Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) The BJP on Friday took aim at RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav following a Delhi court's order to frame charges against him and his family members in the land-for-job case, saying the law is "catching up" with the former railway minister for his involvement in various "scams".

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said courts have sentenced Lalu to a total of 32.5 years of imprisonment in various cases linked to the multi-crore fodder scam.

"Bitumen scam, land-for-job-scam, how many more scams will you commit? Lalu Babu, you should have put a full stop somewhere," the former Union minister said.

Prasad, the Lok Sabha MP from Patna Sahib, added, "There is a proverb that the law will catch up with you. That is exactly what is happening now." Earlier in the day, a Delhi court ordered the framing of charges against the RJD chief, his family members and others in the alleged land-for-job scam.

Special Judge Vishal Gogne observed that Yadav used the railway ministry as his personal fiefdom in order to carry out a criminal enterprise. The court noted that public employment was used as a bargaining chip to acquire land parcels by the Yadav family in connivance with railway officials and his close aides.

Pronouncing the substantive portion of the order, the judge said the Centra Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) final report revealed an "overarching conspiracy on the touchstone of grave suspicion." The court rejected the plea for discharge filed by the accused, including Yadav and his family members, describing them as "unwarranted". The judge underlined that the former railway minister and others were "operating as a criminal enterprise to usurp land." The order also highlighted the "abuse of decision" by railway officials. "Description of chargesheet constitutes the essentiality and core in the criminality as described," the court said.

The court has framed charges against 41 people in the case, and discharged 52 others, including railway officials and substitutes who did not part with their land. PTI PK PK AKY AKY