President grants prosecution sanction against Lalu Prasad in land-for-jobs PMLA case
New Delhi, May 8 (PTI): President Droupadi Murmu has granted sanction to prosecute RJD chief and former Union minister Lalu Prasad in the money laundering case linked to the alleged railways land-for-jobs scam, official sources said on Thursday.
Murmu has accorded the permission as mandated under section 197(1) of the CrPC (Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023), they said.
The case has been investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and the federal probe agency chargesheeted the 76-year-old former Bihar chief minister, his son and former deputy CM of the state, Tejashwi Yadav and other family members in August last year.
Before this, in January 2024, the ED had filed its first chargesheet against an alleged associate of the Prasad family, Amit Katyal, and other family members of Prasad, including his wife and former Bihar CM Rabri Devi, MP daughter Misa Bharti, another daughter Hema Yadav and two associated companies -- A K Infosystems Private Limited and A B Exports Pvt. Ltd.
A special PMLA court in Delhi has taken cognisance of both these chargesheets (prosecution complaints).
The case stems from a CBI FIR alleging that Prasad, the then Union Railway Minister, indulged in "corruption" in the appointment of Group D substitutes in the Indian Railways during 2004-2009.
The candidates or their family members were allegedly told to transfer land as a bribe in return for jobs in the Railways, according to the CBI FIR.
These land parcels were directly or indirectly registered in the name of the family members of Lalu Prasad. The CBI has also filed three chargesheets in this case.
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EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
