In the recent developments of the alleged land-for-railway jobs money laundering case, Amit Katyal, who was apprehended on November 11 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), is accused of facilitating the acquisition of several lands from aspiring candidates on behalf of RJD chief and former Union railways minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, as per the Enforcement Directorate (ED), PTI reported.
The ED's investigation revealed that Katyal served as the director of a company named AK Infosystems Pvt. Ltd, which allegedly acquired one of the lands from candidates on behalf of Lalu Prasad. The company's registered address, located in New Friends Colony, New Delhi, was identified as the residence of Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members. The agency claims that multiple lands were acquired by Katyal in the company, allegedly in exchange for favors granted by Lalu Prasad Yadav during his tenure as the railways minister.
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Following the land acquisitions, shares of the company were purportedly transferred to the family members of Lalu Prasad in 2014, according to the ED. The agency had previously conducted raids on Katyal's premises in March, simultaneously with searches at the residences of Lalu Prasad, his son Tejashwi Yadav (also Bihar Deputy Chief Minister), his daughters, and others.
Katyal, described by the ED as a "close associate" of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, has allegedly been evading summons for questioning in the case for approximately two months. The ED asserts that A K Infosystems Private Limited, the company in question, is a "beneficiary company" in the case.
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The alleged scam dates back to the period when Lalu Prasad served as the railway minister in the UPA-1 government from 2004 to 2009. The accusations suggest that individuals were appointed to Group "D" positions in Indian Railways during this time, and, in return, transferred their land to Lalu Prasad's family members and A K Infosystems Private Limited. The ED's case, filed under the PMLA's criminal sections, originated from a complaint filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The CBI contends that appointments were made without issuing any public notice or advertisement, with residents of Patna allegedly securing positions as substitutes in different railway zones. In return, these individuals or their family members purportedly sold land to Prasad's family members at significantly discounted rates, well below the prevailing market rates.
