NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Thursday ordered framing of money laundering charges against former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav and six others in the alleged IRCTC hotels money laundering case.
Special judge Vishal Gogne said there was a “strong suspicion” against the accused and rejected their arguments that the nature, timing, and course of investigation appear inspired by political vendetta.
Out of 16 accused, Judge Gogne discharged seven and framed charges against the other nine accused.
The court had earlier framed corruption and other charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav and several other accused persons in the case lodged by the CBI.
According to the case, Lalu Prasad, during his tenure as railway minister in UPA-I government, handed over the maintenance of two IRCTC hotels to a company in 2004 after receiving a bribe in the form of a prime land in Patna. The transaction was through a benami company owned by Sarla Gupta, wife of Prem Chand Gupta, who was also a former Union minister.
The ED lodged a separate case against Lalu, his family members, and others under the PMLA to probe the alleged laundering of the proceeds generated in the crime.
The CBI also named Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, both of whom were directors of Sujata Hotels, and Delight Marketing company, now known as Lara Projects, and the then IRCTC managing director P K Goel as accused in its FIR.
Land as bribe
During his tenure as railway minister in 2004, Lalu Prasad allegedly handed over the maintenance of two IRCTC hotels to a company after receiving a bribe in the form of a prime land in Patna