CBI summons Lalu, son Tejashwi on Sept 25, 26

TIL Desk/National/Patna/ The Central Bureau of Investigation has issued fresh summons to Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad and his son Tejashwi Yadav for questioning in connection with alleged graft in giving maintenance contracts of two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation hotels to a private firm, officials said on Friday.

Lalu, a former railway minister, has been asked to appear on September 25, and Tejashwi the next day, CBI sources said. They had earlier been called on September 11 and 12 but Lalu did not turn up, citing an ongoing court case in Ranchi where his presence was required, while Tejashwi claimed he had political commitments to take care of.

The CBI has alleged that Lalu, as railway minister, handed over maintenance of two hotels run by IRCTC, a subsidiary of the Indian Railways, in Ranchi and Puri to Sujata Hotel, a company owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar, in return for a prime plot of three acres in Patna through a benami company.

The FIR alleged that, Lalu as the railway minister, abused his official position for extending undue favours to Kochhars, acquired a “high value premium land” through a benami firm Delight Marketing Company, and as a quid pro quo, “dishonestly and fraudulently” managed award of leasing of the two hotels.