Delhi-NCR, India, State

CBI asserts ‘conspiracy’ in Lalu’s hotel tender irregularity case

CBI asserts 'conspiracy' in Lalu's hotel tender irregularity case

TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ Hours after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carried out searches at the residence of former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and 11 other locations after registering a case of corruption against the RJD chief and his family, Rakesh Asthana, Additional Director, CBI said that it is a case of cheating and hatching conspiracy.

Asthana also confirmed that the raids started at 7.30 am today and are continuing at different locations. They had registered a case against Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, their son Tejashwi Yadav and others in this case on July 5. Others named as accused in the FIR include Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owner of Chanakya Hotel, Delight marketing company, now known as Lara Projects and the then Managing Director P K Goel.

In 2001, a decision was taken to handover management of catering services of Indian Railways, including its hotels to IRCTC. Two such hotels namely BNR Hotels in Ranchi and Puri were also identified and a MoU was signed between the Railways and IRCTC on March 19, 2004.

Lalu Yadav, the then railway minister, entered into criminal conspiracy with owners of Sujata hotels, Sarla Gupta, wife of his close associate Prem chand Gupta (an RJD MP in Rajya Sabha) and IRCTC officials for “undue pecuniary advantage to himself and others”, the CBI FIR alleged.

It is alleged that Vinay Kochhar on February 25, 2005 sold commercial property in the form of three acres of land in Patna through 10 sale deeds for Rs 1.47 crore to Delight marketing in which Sarla Gupta was a director as a front benami holder on behalf of Lalu Prasad Yadav.

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