Land For Job Scam: Supreme Court Refuses to Stop Trial Against Lalu Yadav on 18 July
On 18 July 2025, Supreme Court refused to pause the trial of Lalu Prasad Yadav for his role in the infamous Land For Job Scam. The Supreme Court said that there is no need to interfere in the proceedings of the Delhi High Court. Legal trouble has increased for RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav who was previously held liable for the Fodder Scam as well.
We have covered everything about the Land For Job scam case in this article including highlights from the Supreme Court’s decision, the background of the case, arguments from both sides, and when the next hearing is expected. You can use the following Table of Contents to navigate as per your preference:
Table of Contents
SC Declines Stay on Trial of Lalu Yadav
The Supreme Court cancelled Lalu Prasad Yadav’s plea to pause the proceedings in the Land for Job corruption case in which government jobs were given to people in exchange of land. This scam is linked to Lalu’s tenure as Union Railway Minister. The bench made it very clear that it would not intervene in the case right now and the Delhi High Court has full authority to take full charge of the case.
Exemption From Personal Appearance
While refusing to pause the court proceedings, the Supreme Court gave a partial relief. The bend allowed Lalu Yadav to not be present in the court in person for the trial during court hearings. So, he has been exempted from routine visits at the court but the case will be processed actively.
What is the Land For Job Scam?
The case is related to the allegations on Lalu Prasad Yadav that he appointed people in Group D posts in the Indian Railways in exchange for land. It was specifically during his tenure as the Union Rail Minister between 2004 and 2009. The CBI has claimed that the job applicants gifted or transferred land to Lalu’s family members in return of government jobs. The irregularities were caught in the West Central Railway zone, based in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Some people speculate that even Lalu’s son Tejaswi was somewhat involved in the Land for Job scam but it is not confirmed until the court says so.
FIR Filed 14 Years Later, Says Kapil Sibal
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who is representing Lalu, questioned the timing of the investigation and FIRm he highlighted that the FIR was filed in May 2022 which is nearly 14 years after the alleged events. He also pointed that earlier investigations has ended into the closure of the case, so the sudden revival of the case is raising doubts.
Sibal also questioned the CBI that why they didn’t act under the Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The section is about a legal permission that is needed before filing a case against a government official for something they did while doing their job.
CBI Argues Sanction NOT Required
Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, who is representing the CBI argued that the section 17 A that makes prior approval necessary for prosecution was introduced in 2018. The events happened way before 2018, so, the provision was not applied in this case.
To this Kapil Sibal said that the FIR was filed in 2022 which is after the change. But still the CBI didn’t sanction approval in Lalu’s case whereas in the case of other public servants, prior approval was taken.
Supreme Court steps back, sends matter to HC
Despite the arguments, the Supreme Court chose not to dive into the details. The bench made it clear that it would not examine the merits of the case and instead urged the Delhi High Court to deal with the broader petition seeking to quash the FIR.
This effectively means the trial against Lalu will continue for now, unless the High Court later intervenes.
Conclusion
The Supreme Court’s refusal to stay the trial was a powerful move that has increased the legal trouble of Lalu yadav at this politically sensitive time. SC said that it will not be going into the details of this case. SC urged the Delhi High Court to deal with petition.
You may also want to read about the recent decision approved by the Bihar Cabinet for granting ex-gratia aid of ₹5 lakh for families of businessmen killed in accidents. You can get the details here.
I’m a final-year engineering student with a deep interest in current affairs, politics, and international issues. Writing news is my part-time passion, where I focus on sharing credible and well-researched stories. Every article I publish is backed by verified sources and multiple levels of fact-checking to ensure accuracy and trustworthiness.
