IRCTC case: Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejashvi Yadav deny corruption charges

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RJD president Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and their son Tejashvi Yadav on Tuesday refuted corruption and other charges levelled against them by the CBI in a case connected to alleged irregularities in the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).

The three made the submissions before special judge Vishal Gogne during the arguments on whether to frame charges against them in the case.

The charges include criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption that carry a maximum jail term of seven years.

The three claimed before the court through their lawyer that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) lacked evidence to prosecute them in the case.

The hearing in the case will resume on Wednesday and the judge directed the investigating officer (IO) to appear before the court.

"Further arguments on the aspect of the charge have been heard on behalf of accused no. 1 to 4 (Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashvi Yadav and Lara Projects LLP). Let the IO appear on the next date," the judge said.

Prasad, who was railway minister during the UPA-1 government, had earlier questioned the validity of sanctions obtained by the CBI to prosecute him in the case.

The agency told the court on February 28 that there was sufficient evidence to prosecute the accused persons in the case.

The case stems from alleged irregularities in the grant of operational contracts of two IRCTC hotels to a private firm.

According to the CBI chargesheet, a conspiracy was hatched between 2004 and 2014 in pursuance of which BNR hotels of the Indian Railways, located in Puri and Ranchi, were first transferred to the IRCTC. Later, they were leased to the Patna-based Sujata Hotels Private Limited for operations and maintenance.

The tender process, the agency alleged, was rigged and manipulated and the conditions were tweaked to help the private party -- Sujata Hotels.

The chargesheet also names the then group general managers of IRCTC V K Asthana and R K Goyal, and 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 chargesheet.