Trouble for Lalu, family members as court orders framing of charges in IRCTC scam

New Delhi (TIP): Finding a “strong suspicion” of abuse of public office and proceeds of crime, a Delhi court on Sept 10 ordered framing of money-laundering charges against RJD president and former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav in a case linked to the alleged manipulation of tenders for two railway (IRCTC) hotels and transfer of prime land in Patna.
Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Courts held that there was sufficient material at this stage to proceed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against nine accused, including members of the Yadav family.
The court, however, drew a line between the accused and discharged seven others, including Lalu’s son-in-law Rahul Yadav, finding insufficient grounds to put them on trial in the money-laundering case.
At the centre of Thursday’s order was a parcel of land in Patna and the prosecution’s allegation that its ownership was ultimately routed to members of the Yadav family following the award of leases for IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri.
“There exists a strong suspicion of abuse of office and proceeds of crime in the hands of Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav,” the court observed while pronouncing its order.
The judge said the two continued to enjoy the allegedly tainted Patna property, which, according to the prosecution case, reached them at Lalu’s behest through transactions carried out over the years.
The court referred to allegations that while Lalu was Railway Minister, railway officials manipulated a tender for leasing the Ranchi and Puri hotels. The directors of the beneficiary company allegedly transferred the Patna land to Sarla Gupta, described as a close associate of Lalu, following which shares were transferred to Rabri Devi for a nominal consideration.
It is this alleged trail, from the railway hotel contracts to the land transaction and its eventual control, that forms the backbone of the Enforcement Directorate’s money-laundering case. Apart from Lalu, Rabri and Tejashwi, the court ordered charges against Lara Projects LLP, Sarla Gupta, former Union Minister Prem Chand Gupta, Sujata Hotels, Vinay Kochhar and Vijay Kochhar.
Rahul Yadav, Gaurav Gupta, Nath Mal Kakrania, Vijay Tripathi, Deoki Nandan Tulshyan, Rajiv Kumar Relan and Abhishek Finance Private Limited were discharged. Formal charges will be drawn up on October 3.