Delhi court frames charges against Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav in IRCTC scam case

A Delhi court on Monday framed criminal charges against Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and their son Tejashwi Yadav, who is the leader of Opposition in the state, in a case of alleged corruption in the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, reported Bar and Bench.

They have been charged with corruption, criminal conspiracy and cheating.

As all three of them have pleaded not guilty, the case will proceed to trial. This comes ahead of the Assembly elections in Bihar, which are due to be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11. The votes will be counted on November 14.

The IRCTC case pertains to alleged irregularities in a tender awarded to a private company called Sujata Hotels to develop and operate two railway hotels in Ranchi and Puri in 2005, when Lalu Prasad Yadav was the Union railways minister.

In return, Lalu Prasad Yadav allegedly received a three-acre plot worth Rs 45 crore through a benami company owned by his wife Rabri Devi.

The term benami refers to a transaction or contract held or carried out in the name of someone other than the person who has financed it.

According to the Central Bureau of Investigation, the plot was shown in official records as agricultural land, which caused losses to the state exchequer, as such property is exempt from certain taxes.

After Lalu Yadav demitted office in 2009, the shares of the benami company were transferred to Tejashwi Yadav and Rabri Devi between 2010 and 2014, the agency alleged.

The CBI launched an investigation into the case in July 2017 and had filed a chargesheet against Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife and son, and 11 others in the case in April 2018.

Tejashwi Yadav and his mother Rabri Devi were granted bail in the case in October 2018 while Lalu Yadav was granted bail in January 2019.

On Monday, Special Judge (Prevention of Corruption Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Courts said he had concluded that Lalu Yadav had intervened to influence the development of the hotels, reported Bar and Bench.

“There were material modifications in the tender process,” said the judge. “It has emerged as a distinct possibility that at the point of sale, the land parcels were undervalued and then came to be vested in the hands of Lalu Yadav.”

He added that the entire process was prima facie “fraudulent” and the accused cannot be discharged at this stage.

Source: Scroll
Related Posts: Tejashwi appointed as new National Working President of Rashtriya Janata Dal Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Rashtriya Janata Dal promises Rs 30 Three IIT Madras Professors Awarded Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025 For Scientific Excellence Rules framed to check wily loan sharks UK police framed man for Korean student's murder UK police framed man for murder Madras High Court Puts Stay On Certification Order For Vijay’s Jana Nayagan Delhi Court Frames Charges Against Lalu Prasad Yadav Delhi Court Frames Charges Against Lalu Prasad Yadav In Land-For-Jobs Case