IRCTC Scam: Lalu Prasad Yadav gets Interim bail

IRCTC Scam: Lalu, who is serving a jail term in Ranchi in a connection with a fodder scam case, appeared before the court via video-conferencing.

IRCTC Scam: Delhi’s Patiala court on Wednesday granted interim bail to former Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav till January 19 in connection with two IRCTC cases. (PTI)

IRCTC Scam: Delhi’s Patiala court on Wednesday granted interim bail to former Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav till January 19 in connection with two IRCTC cases. Lalu, who is serving a jail term in Ranchi in a connection with a fodder scam case, appeared before the court via video-conferencing. The RJD supremo had told the court that he would not be able to be physically present for the hearing owing to his ill-health. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) case, being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), pertains to alleged irregularities in granting contracts of two IRCTC hotels to a private firm. Special Judge Arun Bharadwaj, who is hearing the case, asked the CBI and ED to respond to Lalu’s application seeking for regular bail in the two cases. The next date of hearing is on January 19. The court had earlier granted regular bail to Prasad’s wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav in the CBI case, while they are on interim bail in the ED matter, which was extended till January 19, the next date of hearing. Besides them, former Union minister Prem Chand Gupta, his wife Sarla Gupta, then managing director of IRCTC P K Goyal and then IRCTC director Rakesh Saxena are also named as accused in the charge sheet. Among others named in the charge sheet are — then group general managers of IRCTC V K Asthana and R K Goyal and Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owners of Chanakya Hotel. The CBI alleges Lalu misused his power and position and favoured Sujata Hotel, a company owned by directors Vinay and Vijay Kochhar. In return, he acquired “high-value premium land” through a benami company, Delight Marketing Company, for Rs 1.5 crore. Between 2010 and 2014, the ownership of the company was gradually handed to Rabri and Tejashwi.