IRCTC scam: CBI questions former Bihar CM Rabri Devi
The CBI today questioned former Bihar CM Rabri Devi in connection with the alleged IRCTC hotel scam during the tenure of her husband Lalu Prasad as the railway minister, officials said. The questioning by a CBI team started in Patna, they said. The case pertains to allegations that Lalu Prasad handed over the maintenance of two hotels run by the IRCTC to Sujata Hotel.
Maintenance was handed over in return of a plot
Maintenance of the hotels under Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, a subsidiary of the Indian Railways, in Ranchi and Puri was given to Sujata Hotel, owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar, in return for a three acres plot in Patna through a benami company.
RJD leader abused his official position: FIR
The FIR alleged that RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav abused his official position for extending undue favors to the Kochhars and acquired a piece of "high-value premium land" through the benami firm, Delight Marketing Company. As a quid pro quo, the former railway minister "dishonestly and fraudulently" awarded the contract to them for the two hotels, the FIR had alleged.
Ownership of Delight Marketing Company changed hands
After the tender was awarded to Sujata Hotel, the ownership of Delight Marketing Company also changed hands from Sarla Gupta to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav between 2010 and 2014. By this time, Lalu Prasad had resigned as railway minister.
CBI registered case against Lalu, his wife and son
The CBI registered the case against Lalu, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi, and Sarla Gupta, the wife of former Union minister Prem Chand Gupta. Others named as accused in the FIR include both directors of Sujata Hotels and owner of Chanakya Hotel, Delight Marketing Company, now known as Lara Projects, and the then IRCTC managing director PK Goel, it alleged.
