New Delhi, Oct 13: A Delhi court on Monday framed charges against RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, and their son Tejashwi Yadav in the alleged IRCTC scam case, paving the way for a trial ahead of the upcoming Bihar elections.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne framed common charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating against Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav, while Lalu Prasad faces additional charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The court’s detailed order is awaited. All three accused have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The case pertains to alleged irregularities in awarding operational contracts of two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotels to a private firm, Sujata Hotels Pvt Ltd.
According to the CBI chargesheet, a criminal conspiracy was allegedly hatched between 2004 and 2014, during which two BNR hotels in Puri and Ranchi were transferred from Indian Railways to IRCTC and later leased to Sujata Hotels, based in Patna. The tender process was allegedly manipulated to favor the private company.
Other accused in the case include IRCTC group general managers V.K. Asthana and R.K. Goyal, and Vijay Kochhar and Vinay Kochhar, directors of Sujata Hotels and owners of Chanakya Hotel.
Two companies—Delight Marketing Company (now Lara Projects) and Sujata Hotels Pvt Ltd—have also been named as accused firms.
Earlier, on September 24, the court had directed all accused to appear physically for the order on framing of charges. The development marks a significant step toward trial commencement in the politically sensitive case. (Agencies)
