UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC ‘protects’ Lalu from appearing in person in trial

Q1. Under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, prior approval to conduct an inquiry or investigation into an alleged offence by a public servant (relatable to an official recommendation or decision) may be granted by any one of how many distinct categories of competent authority?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Four
  • D. Five

Q2. Section 17A, which mandates prior approval before a police officer investigates a public servant for acts relatable to official decisions, was introduced into the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 by which of the following?

  • A. The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018
  • B. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013
  • C. The original Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988
  • D. The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2008

Q3. As per the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, the special court is required to endeavour to complete a trial under the Act within an outer limit of how many years, inclusive of all permissible extensions?

  • A. Two years
  • B. Three years
  • C. Four years
  • D. Seven years

Q4. The requirement that the CBI obtain the consent of a State Government before exercising its powers and jurisdiction within that State flows from which provision of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946?

  • A. Section 2
  • B. Section 3
  • C. Section 5
  • D. Section 6

Q5. In the CBI's land-for-jobs case, who is arraigned as the principal accused, alleged to have facilitated Railway appointments in exchange for transfer of land during his tenure as Union Railway Minister?

  • A. Lalu Prasad Yadav
  • B. Tejashwi Yadav
  • C. Tej Pratap Yadav
  • D. Bhola Yadav

Q6. The alleged irregular Railway appointments at the heart of the land-for-jobs case are said to have been made during Lalu Prasad Yadav's tenure as Union Railway Minister spanning which period?

  • A. 2004–2009
  • B. 1996–2001
  • C. 2009–2014
  • D. 1990–1997

Q7. The land-for-jobs case, in which the Supreme Court in April 2026 dispensed with Lalu Prasad Yadav's personal appearance before the trial court, is being investigated by which agency?

  • A. Enforcement Directorate
  • B. Central Bureau of Investigation
  • C. Serious Fraud Investigation Office
  • D. National Investigation Agency

Q8. With reference to the exemption of an accused from personal appearance in a criminal trial, which of the following statements are correctly identified?

  1. Section 205 of the CrPC, 1973 and its successor Section 228 of the BNSS, 2023 both empower a Magistrate to dispense with the personal attendance of the accused.
  2. Such dispensation is discretionary, to be granted by the court if it sees reason to do so.
  3. An accused so exempted may be permitted to appear through a pleader.
  4. Once granted, the exemption is absolute and the court can never require the accused's personal presence thereafter.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1, 2 and 4
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q9. Lalu Prasad Yadav's fifth and final conviction in the fodder scam (February 2022) — the case involving the largest sum among the treasury cases — related to fraudulent withdrawals from which treasury?

  • A. Doranda
  • B. Chaibasa
  • C. Deoghar
  • D. Dumka

Q10. In its April 2026 order in the land-for-jobs case, how many distinct forms of relief did the Supreme Court actually grant Lalu Prasad Yadav (as opposed to the reliefs it declined)?

  • A. One
  • B. Two
  • C. Three
  • D. Four