Lalu Prasad Yadav:  the president of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and his family members suffered a further blow on Friday when a Delhi court filed charges against them in the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) suspected Railways land-for-jobs corruption case.

A prima facie case of corruption, cheating, and criminal conspiracy is established against Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, sons Tejashwi and Tej Pratap Yadav, daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav, and several other accused, according to the order issued by Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Courts.

In preparation for the trial, the court filed charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav under Sections 13(1)(d) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as well as offenses under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The IPC has accused his family members with criminal conspiracy and cheating.

The Special Judge, who issued the decision, noted that Lalu Prasad Yadav and his relatives were “operating as a criminal enterprise” and were a part of a larger scheme in which they reportedly used their official job with the Indian Railways as leverage to acquire real estate.

According to the court, it seems from the Central agency’s charge sheet that Lalu Prasad Yadav’s close connections made it easier for him to get property in exchange for railway positions around the nation.

“The plea of Mr. Lalu Yadav and his family members to be discharged is completely unwarranted,” the statement added, rejecting the discharge request.

Of the 98 surviving defendants in the case, 46 people—including Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family—have been prosecuted, while 52 accused have been released, according the court ruling.

As you may remember, after the deaths of five accused, the legal action against them has ceased. The court has scheduled a follow-up hearing on January 29.

The lawsuit concerns claims of “large-scale corruption” during Lalu Prasad’s tenure as Union Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009.

The CBI claims that land lots were purchased in the names of Lalu’s relatives and a business connected to them, sometimes for less than market value and mostly in cash transactions. Railway employment were purportedly given in different zones in exchange. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating the purported money laundering route connected to Patna land deals in parallel.