Another thunderbolt! CBI files charge sheet against Lalu Prasad and family over IRCTC scam

Patna, April 17: Things are really not in favour of Lalu Prasad Yadav as CBI files charge sheet against two companies and 12 people, including Former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav, for alleged irregularities in granting an operational contract of two IRCTC hotels to a private firm.

 

Earlier an FIR was filed against the then Railway Minister Lalu Prasad last year. It was in regard to the Indian Railway and Catering Tourism Corporation which is a subsidy of Indian Railways was awarded maintenance contract for two of its hotels in Ranchi and Puri to Sujata Hotel (a company owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar) in 2006 allegedly in return for a prime three-acre plot in Patna through a benami company.

The FIR alleged that Lalu abused his official position to extend undue favours to the Kochhars.The benami firm, Delight Marketing Company, was allegedly owned by Sarla Gupta, the wife of RJD MP Prem Chand Gupta. She, too, has been named in the charge sheet.

The agency alleged that after the tender was awarded to Sujata Hotel, the ownership of Delight also changed hands from Sarla to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav. The change of ownership happened between 2010 and 2014.

During the investigation, the CBI questioned Lalu and Rabri, and also conducted searches at 12 locations, including at the family members’ premises in Patna, Delhi, Gurgaon, Puri and Ranchi on July 7, 2017.

Among the others names in the charge sheet include then group general manager of IRCTC, BK Agarwal; former group general manager of IRCTC, VK Asthana; and a few other railway officials.

Lalu has also been convicted in four fodder scam cases so far and is serving his sentences.