Buying land by paying money is not a crime, Rabri Devi submits in court in response to land-for-jobs scam

Former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) submitted in a Delhi court that buying land by paying money is not a crime and that there was a “complete disconnect between the land and jobs” as alleged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Appearing for Ms. Devi, senior advocate Maninder Singh submitted that money had been paid to parties after purchasing land.

“When money has been paid, at most, it can be alleged that land was bought at cheap rates….sales happen because the parties needed money for which they sell land,” Mr. Singh said.

He asked how the CBI could say that jobs were given for plots of land.

“Did the CBI ever say that money was not given in exchange for buying land? The witness presented by the agency had stated that he was asked to sell his land because Lalu Prasad was making a chak [a large piece of land comprising smaller pieces] but he has not said that he was not paid. Even the CBI has said that the land was purchased,” said the advocate, while adding that purchasing land is not a crime.

The submissions were made in the court of Special Judge Vishal Gogne, who was hearing the arguments on the charge against the accused persons in the land for job scam being investigated by the CBI.

In its FIR, the central agency had alleged that during 2004-2009, the appointment of several substitutes on the Group “D” posts in the Indian Railways was done in different zones of the Railways in exchange for land parcels. The jobs were given due to pressure exerted by the Railway Ministry, then headed by Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. There are 103 accused persons in the case, including Mr. Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, and son Tejashwi Yadav. Four accused have died during the trial.

The hearing will continue on Wednesday.