Rabri Devi has filed a transfer petition in the IRCTC Hotel corruption case. In this case, charges of fraud and conspiracy have been framed against 14 people including Lalu Prasad, Tejashwi Yadav. This case is related to the corruption in hotel tender when Lalu was the Railway Minister.
New Delhi : Rabri Devi has filed a transfer petition in the IRCTC corruption case. The court can hear this petition on Tuesday, November 25. This matter is at the level of prosecution evidence. Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav are also accused in this case. After framing of charges, this case is at the level of evidence of the prosecution. The Principal District and Sessions Judge can hear this petition on Tuesday. The Rouse Avenue court on October 13 had framed charges against former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav and others for criminal conspiracy and other offenses in the IRCTC hotel corruption case.
This case is related to the alleged corruption in the tender process of two IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri during the tenure of Lalu Prasad Yadav as Railway Minister. CBI Vishal Gogane had framed charges against former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav and other accused. The court had framed charges under different sections for crimes related to fraud, conspiracy and corruption. However, all the accused have been charged with criminal conspiracy.
The order was pronounced in open court, and a detailed order is to be uploaded by the court. The court said there were sufficient grounds to frame charges against all the 14 accused. Lalu Prasad Yadav has declared himself innocent and said that he will face the trial. Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav have been charged under sections 420, 120B of the Indian Penal Code for the offenses of cheating and conspiracy. He has denied the charges and said he will face trial.
On September 24, the court had directed all the accused to appear in person. The case pertains to allegations of corruption in the allocation of maintenance work of IRCTC hotel tenders during the tenure of Lalu Prasad Yadav. The court had reserved the order on May 29 after hearing the arguments of the lawyers of the investigating agency and the accused persons on a day-to-day basis. On March 1, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had completed its arguments on charges against former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, former minister Prem Chand Gupta and other accused persons. There are 14 accused in this case.
CBI Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) argued that the accused had committed corruption and conspiracy in the allotment of maintenance contracts of two IRCTC hotels. SPP D P Singh, along with advocate Manu Mishra, had argued that there was corruption and conspiracy in allotting the maintenance contracts of two IRCTC hotels to a private company. CBI said there is enough material to frame charges against all the accused. This case is related to the time when Lalu Prasad Yadav was the Railway Minister during 2004-2009.
It is alleged that the maintenance contract of two IRCTC hotels, BNR Ranchi and BNR Puri, was given to Sujata Hotels, a private firm owned by Vinay Kochhar. The CBI has alleged that in return for this deal, Lalu Prasad Yadav acquired three acres of prime land through a benami company.
On July 7, 2017, CBI had registered an FIR against Lalu. The agency had also raided 12 locations linked to Lalu and his family members in Patna, New Delhi, Ranchi and Gurgaon. On the other hand, it was argued on behalf of former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav that there is no material to frame charges against him in the IRCTC corruption case, and he deserves acquittal in the case.
Lalu Prasad Yadav’s lawyer, senior advocate Maninder Singh, argued that there was no irregularity on the part of Lalu Prasad Yadav. The tender was awarded fairly. There is insufficient material to frame charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav. He deserves to be acquitted of the charges. The CBI had registered the FIR on July 5, 2017. A chargesheet was filed in April 2018. The CBI had imposed Section 120B along with 420 IPC, and Section 13(1)(d) along with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.