New Delhi: A Delhi court, on Monday, framed various criminal charges against former railway minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav and others in the alleged IRCTC scam case.
The order was passed by Vishal Gogne, Special Judge (PC Act) of the Rouse Avenue Courts. The court has framed charges of corruption, criminal conspiracy and cheating against Lalu. Tejashwi and Rabri are charged with several offences, including conspiracy and cheating. The case will proceed to trial since all the accused have pled not guilty.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), probing the matter, has alleged that the former Bihar chief minister and his family accepted prime land as a bribe for awarding contracts to a private firm during his tenure as railway minister.
It has been alleged that during Lalu’s tenure between 2004 and 2009, two IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri were given on lease to a company named Sujata Hotels through a manipulated tender process. In return, land worth crores was transferred to a company allegedly linked to Lalu’s wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav at a fraction of its market value.
The Yadav family have questioned the probe and said that there was no evidence against them. They maintain that the case is politically motivated.
The Delhi court is also hearing a jobs for land case against Lalu and his family.