Lalu Prasad Yadav Seeks Discharge In IRCTC Case, Claims No Evidence To Frame Charges Against Him

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav urged the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi for his discharge in the IRCTC corruption case, stating that there is no evidence to frame charges against him, ANI reported.

Special Judge Vishal Gogne considered the arguments on the matter and has scheduled the next hearing for 21 April, when further arguments will be submitted.

Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for Yadav, argued that there were no irregularities on the part of the RJD chief, and that the tenders were awarded in a fair manner.

Lalu Prasad Yadav was the Railway Minister in the Congress-led UPA government from 2004 to 2009.

Sing argued that there is no sufficient evidences to frame charges against Yadav and he deserved to be discharged of the charges.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had on 1 March concluded its arguments on charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav and other accused persons.

Special Public Prosecutor D P Singh, and lawyer Manu Mishra said that there was corruption and conspiracy in the allotment of maintenance contracts for two hotels of IRCTC to a private company.

The case relates to the award of maintenance contracts of IRCTC hotels, namely BNR Ranchi and BNR Puri, to Sujata Hotel, a private company belonging to Vinay and Vijay Kochar.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) claims that, in return for this deal, Lalu Prasad Yadav received three acres of valuable land through a benami company.

The agency filed a FIR on 7 July 2017, and then searched twelve places connected to Yadav and his relatives in Patna, New Delhi, Ranchi, and Gurgaon.

Also Read: Kolkata’s First Airport Metro Link Nears Completion, Operations Likely To Be Begin By July