Subhechcha Ganguly 
In a significant development with political ramifications just before the Bihar assembly elections, a special CBI court in Delhi on Monday framed charges against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, and their son Tejashwi Yadav in the IRCTC hotel corruption case.
The Yadav family and other accused were physically present at the Rouse Avenue Court as the judge framed charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating. This revives a long-standing corruption case dating back to Mr. Yadav’s tenure as the Union Railway Minister under the UPA government.
The charges against all the accused have been framed under Sections (criminal conspiracy) and (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Additionally, Lalu Prasad Yadav faces charges of criminal misconduct under Section read with of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The case pertains to allegations of corruption in the awarding of maintenance contracts for two IRCTC hotels, BNR Ranchi and BNR Puri, to a private firm, Sujata Hotel Pvt. Ltd. The CBI alleges that in return for this deal, Mr. Yadav and his family illicitly acquired three acres of prime commercial land in Patna through a benami, or proxy, company.
The court’s decision to frame charges came after it dismissed a discharge plea from the accused. Defense counsel had argued that the tender was awarded fairly and there was insufficient evidence to proceed against Mr. Yadav. However, the court found there was enough prima facie material to move forward with the trial.
Others charged in the case include former Union Minister Prem Chand Gupta, then-IRCTC officials V.K. Asthana and R.K. Goyal, and the directors of Sujata Hotel, Vijay and Vinay Kochhar. The companies Lara Projects (formerly known as Delight Marketing Company) and Sujata Hotels Private Limited are also named as accused entities.
The CBI had initially filed an FIR in July 2017, followed by a chargesheet in April 2018. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also probing a related money laundering case based on the CBI’s findings.
