INDIA: Amit Katyal, implicated in the ‘Land for Railway Job’ scam, has been arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in connection with money laundering investigations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002.
The scam involves allegations that Rashtriya Janata Dal President and former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav engaged in corruption for the appointment of Group D substitutes in Indian Railways from 2004 to 2009.
The FIR states that poor candidates were instructed to transfer land as a bribe for jobs in Indian Railways. The CBI had previously filed a charge sheet against Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Amit Katyal, the Director of M/s AK Infosystems Pvt. Ltd at the time, played a role in acquiring land on behalf of Lalu Prasad Yadav.
The company’s registered address was listed as D-1088, New Friends Colony, New Delhi, which belonged to Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family.
Amit Katyal acquired several other lands in return for favors granted by Lalu Prasad Yadav when he served as the Minister of Railways.
After obtaining the lands, shares of the company were transferred to Lalu Prasad Yadav’s family members in 2014.
Earlier, ED had conducted search operations on March 10, resulting in the seizure of cash amounting to about Rs. 1 crore and valuables equivalent to Rs. 1.25 crore. On July 29, ED provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs. 6.02 crore. Further investigation is ongoing.
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