Today, On 16th January, In the IRCTC Scam, Delhi High Court Seeks CBI Reply on Rabri Devi’s Plea Against Charges. The trial court has accused Rabri Devi of criminal conspiracy and cheating, prompting her to challenge the charges before the High Court.
The Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding a plea from former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi.
She is challenging a trial court order that framed charges against her in the alleged IRCTC scam.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma announced that the case will be heard on Monday.
Earlier, On October 13, Special Judge Vishal Gogne at the Rouse Avenue Courts set forth charges of corruption, criminal conspiracy, and cheating against Lalu Yadav, while Tejashwi Yadav and Rabri Devi face charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating.
The CBI claims that Lalu Yadav and his family accepted valuable land and shares as bribes in exchange for awarding contracts to a private firm during his tenure as Union Railway Minister.
Allegedly, between 2004 and 2009, two IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri were leased to a company named Sujata Hotels via a manipulated tender process. In return, land worth crores was transferred to a company apparently connected to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav at a fraction of its market value.
In a detailed order, the trial court stated it had reached a prima facie conclusion that Lalu Yadav was fully aware of the processes involved and intervened to influence the hotel transfers.
The trial court noted,
“There were material modifications in the tender process…It has emerged as a distinct possibility that at the point of sale, the land parcels were undervalued and then came to be vested in the hands of Lalu Yadav,”
The Yadav family has disputed the investigation, asserting that there is no evidence against them and claiming the case is politically motivated.
Earlier, Former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi submitted a plea to the Principal District and Sessions Judge of the Rouse Avenue Courts, requesting the transfer of four cases from the judge who has framed charges against her and her family members in the alleged IRCTC scam.
In her application, Devi is seeking the transfer of these four cases pending before Judge Gogne, which include the IRCTC scam case, the alleged cash-for-jobs case, and related money laundering proceedings.
Rabri Devi has claimed that the judge demonstrates bias, alleging that he conducts the trials against her and her family with a “premeditated mind.”
In the IRCTC case, the CBI claims that Lalu Yadav and his family accepted prime land and shares as bribes for awarding contracts to a private firm while he was the Union Railway Minister. Charges have been framed against the Yadav family in this matter.
Additionally, the cash-for-jobs case alleges that during Lalu Yadav’s tenure, various residents of Bihar were granted jobs after transferring their land to Yadav and his family members.
The ED is pursuing allegations of money laundering against Yadav and his family in connection with these cases.
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