A Delhi court has formally framed charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, along with his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav, in the alleged IRCTC hotel scam.
New Delhi : Delhi court frames charges against Lalu Prasad and his family in the IRCTC hotel scam, delivering a significant development in the high-profile case.
Meanwhile, the Rouse Avenue Court cleared the way for the trial, holding the accused accountable under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, after they pleaded not guilty.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne had reserved the order on May 29 after hearing detailed arguments on criminal conspiracy, cheating, and corruption charges against Lalu Prasad, Tejashwi Yadav, Prem Gupta, Sarla Gupta, and railway officials Rakesh Saksena and P.K. Goyal.
The scam allegedly took place between 2004 and 2009, when Lalu Prasad served as Union Railway Minister. During his tenure, authorities leased two hotels without following proper norms, which triggered the investigation.
According to the case details, one hotel went to Sarla Gupta, wife of Prem Gupta, a close associate of Lalu Prasad, who was also a Rajya Sabha MP at the time.
The prosecution claims that the RJD leader acquired three acres of prime land through a benami company.
However, Lalu Prasad maintains that the tenders were awarded fairly and sought discharge from the case.
Recently, the Supreme Court rejected his plea to stay the trial court proceedings in the land-for-job case. He had filed a special leave petition challenging the Delhi High Court’s earlier rejection of his stay application.
Meanwhile, the trial court took cognizance of multiple charge sheets filed by the CBI under the Prevention of Corruption Act. According to the CBI, between 2004 and 2009, Lalu Prasad obtained pecuniary advantages through the transfer of landed property to his family members in exchange for appointments in Group ‘D’ posts across different railway zones.
Additionally, several Patna residents, either personally or through their families, sold or gifted land to Lalu Prasad’s family and a private company controlled by them.
–IANS
