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IRCTC scam: Court refuses to cancel Tejashwi’s bail
A Delhi court on Tuesday refused to cancel the bail granted to Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav in a case related to the IRCTC scam.
A Delhi court on Tuesday refused to cancel the bail granted to Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav in a case related to Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) scam, saying it did not find any specific ground to order cancellation of the relief.
Special judge Geetanjali Goel declined to cancel the bail while hearing a plea of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that alleged Yadav had “blatantly abused the liberty granted to him”.
At a recent press conference, Yadav attempted to subvert the process of law and thwart the entire investigation as well as the consequent trial, the agency claimed. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader issued “direct threat” to CBI officers and their families and “indirect threat” to witnesses, it added.
The agency also accused Yadav of trying to “portray the CBI in bad light and under the influence of political parties” by using innuendoes such as “Jamai” (son-in-law) of a political party.
Yadav, however, claimed he did not violate any condition of the bail granted to him in 2018.
“I (Yadav) am in the opposition party (at the Centre) and raising questions on wrongdoing is my duty. The CBI and Enforcement directorate are being misused by the present government. All opposition parties feel this,” Yadav’s counsel Maninder Singh told the court.
While the court refused to cancel Yadav’s bail, it asked him to be responsible and choose appropriate words while speaking in public.
“You are on a very responsible post. It is not right to use such words. Use appropriate words in public because your words impact a huge number of the public. You have to understand the implications of your words,” the judge said.
“This should not happen again. You must choose words carefully and not use such words which have the potential to influence witnesses,” she added.
The court said a detailed order will be passed later.
The IRCTC scam pertains to alleged irregularities in handing over the operational contract of two IRCTC hotels to a private firm, when RJD chief Lalu Prasad was the railway minister. He is the main accused in the case.
The court in October 2018 had granted bail to Yadav after he appeared before it in pursuance to summons issued against him.
RJD workers in Patna welcomed the Delhi court’s order and distributed sweets outside the party office at Beerchand Patel Marg.
“Janta Janardan’s prayers have such power, despite BJP’s lakhs of conspiracies, we win. History is a witness, who has ruled over the hearts of the people,” Lalu’s daughter Rohini Acharya tweeted.
Tejashwi’s elder brother and Bihar environment minister Tej Pratap Yadav said: “God is also seeing who is wrong and who is right. We respect the court. Opponents try to trap us but God protects all.”
The BJP, however, said Tejashwi was yet to be cleared of all charges.
“After a strong reprimand from the court, he has to apologise to save his bail. It is really shameful that a person sitting on a constitutional post has to apologise.. The RJD is celebrating as if he has been absolved of all charges,” former deputy chief minister and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi said.
