Big Court Setback For RJD Ahead Of Polls: Lalu, Rabri, Tejashwi to face trial in IRCTC scam

Highlights

New Delhi: In a major legal setback to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, a Delhi court on Monday ordered the framing of charges against the former Bihar...

New Delhi: In a major legal setback to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, a Delhi court on Monday ordered the framing of charges against the former Bihar Chief Minister, his wife Rabri Devi, who is also an ex-Chief Minister, and their son Tejashwi Yadav in the IRCTC scam case.

In the order, which came just weeks ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, the court noted that the senior leader had "engaged in conspiracy" and "abused his position" as a public servant. The court directed that Lalu Yadav be charged with criminal misconduct by a public servant and criminal conspiracy to commit cheating, while Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav will face charges of cheating and conspiracy to commit cheating. The case will go to trial as all the accused have pleaded not guilty.

The case, investigated by the CBI, pertains to alleged corruption in the allotment of maintenance work contracts for two IRCTC hotels -- BNR Ranchi and BNR Puri. The CBI has alleged that the contracts were favourably awarded to a private firm, Sujata Hotel, owned by Vijay and Vinay Kochar.

The chargesheet claimed that Lalu Yadav received approximately three acres of prime land in Patna through a benami company.

According to the court order, the 77-year-old RJD patriarch is accused of "abusing his position as a public servant" and engaging in a conspiracy that manipulated the tender process during his tenure as Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009.

The charges allege that he influenced the eligibility conditions of the tender and orchestrated the undervalued purchase of land parcels from the Kochar family.

"He engaged in conspiracy and abused his position as a public servant. Lalu Yadav influenced the tender; eligibility conditions of the tender were manipulated.

He conspired for the undervalued purchase of land parcels from the Kocchars", the court said, adding that Lalu Yadav conspired with other accused to transfer effective control of these land parcels to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi.

Evidence presented by the CBI showed modifications in the tender process and interventions by Lalu Yadav to influence the pace of transfer of hotels associated with the parcels.

"The CBI presented a chain of evidence to charge Lalu Yadav with conspiracy and abuse of position as Railway Minister, alleging that undervalued land parcels were subsequently transferred to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav," the court said.

The court observed that the undervaluation of these land parcels and the subsequent transfer of shares to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav raised serious concerns and allegedly caused financial loss to the state exchequer. It found “grave suspicion” that multiple persons engaged in a conspiracy for the transfer of control of the land and in the underpriced allocation of shares.

"Valuation of shares raises great concern and causes loss to the state exchequer. The court has found grave suspicion that multiple persons engaged in a conspiracy for the transfer of control of land to the Lalu Yadav family. There is grave suspicion as to how shares were transferred to Rabri Devi in undervalued form," the Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Courts said.

During the hearing, the RJD veteran argued that there is no material to frame charges against him in the corruption case and that he deserves to be discharged. His counsel submitted that no irregularities were committed on Lalu Yadav’s part and that the tenders were awarded in a fair and transparent manner.