Overview
- The Supreme Court on Monday refused to scrap the CBI’s land‑for‑jobs case against Lalu Prasad Yadav and said he can argue the Section 17A sanction point during the trial.
- The bench left open whether Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act applies to older conduct, a provision that requires government approval before police investigate acts linked to a public servant’s official duties.
- The court exempted Yadav from routine personal appearance, which spares the 77‑year‑old leader repeated court visits unless a judge specifically calls him.
- Prosecutors argued Section 17A covers only decision‑makers or recommending authorities and said Yadav was neither, while his counsel said the alleged conduct flowed from his role as railways minister and needed prior approval even to investigate.
- The case alleges Group‑D railway jobs from 2004 to 2009 were traded for land transferred to Yadav’s family or associates; the CBI registered the FIR in May 2022, filed chargesheets naming family members, and a Delhi court has framed charges with the trial now set to proceed.