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Charges framed against Lalu Yadav, Rabri, Tejashwi: What is the IRCTC corruption case?
Lalu Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav and family appeared physically before the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Monday.
The IRCTC hotel corruption case has come back to haunt RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family just ahead of the Bihar assembly election. The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi on Monday framed charges against the former railway minister.
Charges were also framed against his wife, former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, and their son, Tejashwi Yadav, who is now RJD's main leader.
The family appeared physically before the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court. The court framed charges under different sections for cheating, conspiracy and offences related to corruption.
What is the IRCTC hotel corruption case against Lalu Prasad Yadav and family?
The IRCTC hotel case concerns alleged corruption in the tender process for two IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri during Lalu Prasad Yadav's tenure as the union railway minister during the Congress-led UPA government led by the since-deceased Manmohan Singh.
It is alleged that the maintenance contract of two IRCTC hotels, namely BNR Ranchi and BNR Puri, was transferred to Sujata Hotel, a private firm owned by Vijay and Vinay Kochhar. The CBI has alleged that in return for this deal, Lalu Prasad Yadav got three acres of prime land through a benami (proxy) company.
The CBI had lodged an FIR on July 5, 2017. A charge sheet was filed in April 2018. CBI had invoked section 120B read with 420 of IPC, section 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Based on the CBI case, the ED also lodged a money laundering case against Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi, and others. As reported by HT, the probe agency has alleged that Prasad was aware of the whole process and kept track of the tender proceedings.
What are the charges?
- All the accused in the case are charged with criminal conspiracy and cheating, under sections 420 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
- Lalu Prasad Yadav is also charged with criminal misconduct under section 13(1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
- The CBI had concluded its arguments on charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, former Minister Prem Chand Gupta and other accused persons on March 1.
- The chargesheet also names the then-group general managers of IRCTC, VK Asthana and RK Goyal, and Vijay Kochhar and Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owners of Chanakya Hotel.
- The chargesheet also names Delight Marketing Company, now known as Lara Projects, and Sujata Hotels Private Limited as accused entities.
What did the CBI lawyers argue?
The Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for the CBI had argued that the accused persons engaged in corruption and conspiracy in allotting two IRCTC hotel maintenance contracts.
SPP DP Singh, along with Advocate Manu Mishra, had argued that there was corruption and conspiracy in the allotment of maintenance contracts for two hotels of IRCTC to a private company. According to the CBI, there is sufficient material to frame a charge against all accused persons.
What is Lalu and family's defence?
Senior advocate Maninder Singh, counsel for Lalu Prasad Yadav, argued that the former railway minister committed no irregularities. He argued that the tender was awarded in a fair manner and that there was no sufficient material to frame charges against Yadav.
The advocate had moved for his client to be discharged of the charges.
The court had reserved the order on May 29 after hearing submissions by the CBI counsel and lawyers for the accused persons on a day-to-day basis. On September 24, the court directed all the accused persons to appear in person on October 13.
