The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on a plea filed by former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi against the trial court order framing charges against her in the alleged IRCTC scam case. .Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma passed the order and said that the case will be heard on Monday. .On October 13, Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Courts framed charges of corruption, criminal conspiracy and cheating against Lalu Yadav. Tejashwi Yadav and Rabri Devi are charged with criminal conspiracy and cheating.The CBI has alleged that Lalu Yadav and his family accepted prime land and shares as bribes for awarding contracts to a private firm while he was Union Railway Minister.According to the allegations, during Yadav's tenure as Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009, two IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri were leased to a company named Sujata Hotels through a manipulated tender process. In return, land worth crores was transferred to a company allegedly linked to Lalu’s wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav at a fraction of its market value. In a detailed order, the trial court said that it had come to a prima facie conclusion that Lalu Yadav was in the complete know of the processes. The Court intervened to influence the transfer of the hotels. “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 trial court said. The Yadav family has questioned the probe and said that there was no evidence against them. They maintain that the case is politically motivated. .Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.
