The CBI alleges that premium land area was accepted as a bribe in return for awarding hotel contracts during Lalu’s tenure as Railway Minister.
A Delhi court has framed criminal charges against the incumbent Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav, and several others in connection with the IRCTC hotel scam case. The court found sufficient material to proceed under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, citing criminal conspiracy, cheating, and misuse of official position during Yadav’s tenure as Railway Minister.
Court Observations
Special Judge Vishal Gogne of Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court noted that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had presented a consistent chain of evidence indicating that a criminal conspiracy was hatched with Lalu Prasad Yadav’s knowledge. According to the court, Yadav, while holding the Railway portfolio, played a direct role in influencing the tender process for two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)-owned hotels in Ranchi and Puri.
The judge observed that the contracts for these hotels were awarded to Sujata Hotels, a private company, under questionable circumstances. In return, it was alleged that Vijay and Vinay Kochar, co-accused in the case, transferred undervalued land parcels to companies owned by Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav, effectively benefitting the Yadav family.
CBI’s Allegations
The CBI has alleged that Lalu Yadav and his family received valuable land as a form of bribe in exchange for granting the hotel leases to Sujata Hotels through a manipulated tender process. The contracts, valued in crores, were allegedly awarded between 2004 and 2009, during Yadav’s term as Railway Minister. The land parcels, located in Patna, were allegedly transferred at a fraction of their market value to a firm controlled by the Yadav family.
All accused, including Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, and Tejashwi Yadav, were present in the court when the charges were read out. They have pleaded not guilty and opted to face a trial instead, asserting that the allegations are politically motivated and unsupported by evidence.
Background of the Case
The IRCTC hotel scam case was first registered by the CBI in 2017, alleging corruption, criminal misconduct, and conspiracy in the leasing of IRCTC hotels to private players. The CBI named 14 individuals as accused, including Yadav and several senior railway officials. The investigation suggested that the tender process was rigged to benefit specific private entities linked to the Yadav family.
With charges now framed, the case will move forward to the trial stage, where evidence will be examined to determine the extent of the alleged corruption and conspiracy.
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