NEW DELHI: Former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief on Thursday went to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officer after he was asked to join investigation for questioning in connection with alleged corruption in awarding the maintenance contract for two IRCTC hotels to a private firm.
Lalu reached CBI headquarters around 10:45 am along with his daughter Misa. He was taken to the investigation officer where he was grilled for almost 7 hours, while Misa was asked to wait in a public area. Now, Lalu’s son Tejashwi Yadav is scheduled to appear before the agency on Friday for questioning.
Lalu Prasad Yadav is facing charges of awarding maintenance contract to private firms. In 2006, he allegedly assigned two hotels, both owned by the Railways of which he held charge, to a private firm through a 15-year-lease. In return, the firm allegedly bought a three-acre plot of land in Patna which was routed through a jumble of shell firms to Lalu's children, two of whom were ministers in Bihar till July.
The two were asked by the CBI to appear for questioning on October 5 and 6 in the alleged corruption case. This was after both leaders expressed their inability to appear on October 4 and 5.
It is alleged that Yadav, as railway minister in 2006, handed over maintenance of two Railway hotels -- BNR Ranchi and Puri -- to Sujata Hotel (a company owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar) after receiving a bribe in the form of three acres of prime land through a 'benami' (shell) company.
(with inputs from ANI)