IRCTC scam: Delhi court grants bail to Rabri Devi, Tejashwi, issues production warrant for Lalu Yadav

The case relates to alleged irregularities in the allotment of contracts of two IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri in 2006 to a private firm.

NEW DELHI: Delhi's Patiala House Court on Friday granted bail to all accused including former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and her son and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in connection with 2006 IRCTC hotels maintenance contract scam. This has come as a big relief to the Yadav family as RJD chief Lalu Yadav is himself in jail following his conviction in the fodder scam-related cases.  

All accused were granted bail after furnishing a personal bond and surety amount of Rs 1 lakh each.

IRCTC scam case: Delhi's Patiala House Court grants bail to all accused including former Bihar CM Rabri Devi & RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. All have to furnish a personal bond & surety amount of Rs 1 lakh each. https://t.co/xf7L1PyJYR — ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2018

As the matter came up for hearing, the CBI urged the court to issue a production warrant against RJD chief Lalu Yadav who is also named in the case.

The veteran Bihar politician could not appear before the Patiala House Court today as he is in judicial custody in Ranchi.

Responding to the CBI's plea, Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj issued a production warrant against Lalu Prasad Yadav for producing him on October 6. 

Rabri Devi and Tejashwi had filed for bail in the case soon after they reached the court this morning.

The court had earlier summoned and asked the Lalu family and other accused in the case to appear before it on August 31 in connection with the case.

The CBI, which had on April 16 filed the chargesheet in the case, had said that there was enough evidence against Lalu, Rabri, Tejashwi and others.

The CBI had earlier informed the court that sanction has been procured from authorities concerned to prosecute Additional Member of Railway Board BK Agarwal, who was then the group general manager of the IRCTC.

Besides Lalu Prasad and his family members, former Union minister Prem Chand Gupta and his wife Sarla Gupta, Agarwal, then managing director of IRCTC PK Goyal and then IRCTC director Rakesh Saxena were also named in the chargesheet.

The other names in the chargesheet include then group general managers of IRCTC VK Asthana and RK Goyal, and Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owners of Chanakya Hotel.

Delight Marketing Company, now known as Lara Projects, and Sujata Hotels Private Limited have also been named as accused companies in the CBI chargesheet.

The CBI had registered a case in July last year and carried out searches at 12 locations in Patna, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar and Gurgaon in connection with the case.

The charges in the case include criminal conspiracy (120-B), cheating (420) under IPC and corruption, the central probe agency had said. 

(With Agency Inputs)