File Image.
New Delhi: RJD president Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, and their son Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday urged a Delhi court to discharge them from a corruption case related to alleged irregularities in the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) between 2004 and 2014.
Appearing before special judge Vishal Gogne, the three argued that the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) case was based on selective prosecution and that the allegations against them were false. Senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing the accused, contended during the arguments on framing charges that the probe agency lacked evidence to proceed against them.
The CBI has charge-sheeted them for multiple offences, including criminal conspiracy, cheating, and corruption, which carry a maximum penalty of seven years in prison. The accused dismissed the allegations as baseless and motivated, asserting that the charges were fabricated and lacked merit.
The hearing in the case will continue on April 21. "Part arguments heard on behalf of A-1 to A-4 (Lalu, Rabri, Tejashwi, and Lara Projects LLP). Put up for further submissions," the judge noted.
Prasad, who served as the railway minister during the UPA-1 government, had earlier challenged the validity of the sanctions obtained by the CBI for his prosecution. On February 28, the agency informed the court that it had gathered sufficient evidence to charge the accused.
The case involves alleged irregularities in awarding operational contracts for two IRCTC hotels. According to the CBI chargesheet, between 2004 and 2014, a conspiracy was orchestrated to transfer the BNR hotels of Indian Railways, located in Puri and Ranchi, to IRCTC, after which they were leased to Patna-based Sujata Hotels Private Limited for operations and maintenance.
The agency alleged that the tendering process was manipulated and rigged, with conditions altered to benefit Sujata Hotels. The chargesheet also names former IRCTC group general managers V K Asthana and R K Goyal, as well as Vijay Kochhar and Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owners of Chanakya Hotel.
Delight Marketing Company, now known as Lara Projects, and Sujata Hotels Private Limited have also been named as accused in the case.
With PTI inputs