SC allows Lalu Prasad to raise plea of prior sanction during trial

The Supreme Court on Monday (April 13, 2026) allowed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad to raise his plea of lack of prior sanction for investigation launched against him in the land-for-jobs scam case probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) during trial.

A Bench headed by Justice M.M. Sundresh did not intervene to grant Mr. Prasad interim relief in the form of stay of the trial, but “protected” from appearing in person at the trial.

The apex court said legal issues as to whether Section 17A had been necessary for the CBI before maunching into the probe would be based on the facts of the case, the court said, leaving it for Mr. Prasad’s lawyers take it up as a ground of defence in the trial proceedings.