IRCTC case: Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejashvi Yadav seek discharge

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RJD president Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and their son Tejashvi Yadav on Saturday urged a court here to discharge them in a corruption case connected to purported irregularities in the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) between 2004 and 2014.

The three made the submissions before special judge Vishal Gogne, claiming that the CBI's case was based on "pick and choose" and the allegations against them were "false".

The accused made the submission through senior advocate Maninder Singh during the arguments on the framing of charges in the case.

They have been charge-sheeted for various offences, including criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption, that carry a maximum jail term of seven years.

The three claimed before the judge that the allegations levelled against them by the CBI were false, selective and motivated, adding that the central probe agency lacked evidence to prosecute them in the case.

The hearing in the case will resume 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 said.

Prasad, who was the 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.

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.