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Former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on Saturday urged the Rouse Avenue Court in New Delhi to discharge him in the IRCTC corruption case, asserting that there is no evidence to frame charges against him.
Special judge Vishal Gogne heard the arguments on framing of charges in the IRCTC corruption case and has scheduled for April 21 for hearing the further arguments. Senior advocate Maninder Singh, counsel for Lalu Prasad Yadav, argued that there are no irregularities on the part of Lalu Prasad Yadav. The tenders were awarded in a fair manner. There is no sufficient evidences to frame charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav. He deserved to be discharged of the charges. On March 1, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had concluded its arguments on charges against former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav and other accused persons. This case is related to alleged corruption in tender of the IRCTC hotels. Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) D P Singh, along with Advocate Manu Mishra, had argued that there was corruption and conspiracy in the allotment of maintenance contracts for two hotels of IRCTC to a private company. There is sufficient material to frame charges against all accused persons, the CBI had said. The case pertains to the period between 2004 and 2009, when Lalu Prasad Yadav served as the Union Railway Minister. It is alleged that the maintenance contract of two IRCTC hotels, namely BNR Ranch and BNR Puri, to Sujata Hotel, a private firm owned by Vinay and Vinay Kochar. The CBI has alleged that in return of this deal, Lalu Prasad Yadav got three acres of prime land through some benami company. The CBI filed an FIR in the matter against Lalu Prasad Yadav on July 7, 2017. The agency also raided 12 locations linked to Lalu and his family members in Patna, New Delhi, Ranchi and Gurgaon. (ANI)
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