New Delhi, December 20: The Patiala House Court on Thursday granted interim bail to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in connection with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) scam case filed by Enforcement Directorate (ED). Meanwhile, the court also adjourned the hearing in the case filed by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for further scrutiny of documents. The RJD chief appeared before the court via video conferencing. While, Lalu’s son Tejashwi Yadav and wife Rabri Devi were present in the court. Lalu Prasad Yadav's Health Deteriorates, RJD Demands Better Treatment For Former Bihar CM.
In October, the court had already granted bail to Tejashwi and Rabri in the case. According to the ED, Lalu and IRCTC officials allegedly misused their position for granting sub-lease of the rights of two railway hotels at Puri and Ranchi to Ms Sujata Hotel Pvt Ltd owned by Kochhars. A total of 358 decimal of prime plot of land in Patna was transferred to Ms Delight Marketing Company Pvt Ltd, owned by the family of PC Gupta, who is a close associate of Prasad and an MP from RJD. IRCTC Scam: Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi And Tejashwi Yadav Named In Chargesheet Filed By ED.
Lalu Yadav was already convicted in the fodder scam. He was given provisional bail of six weeks in May this year after nearly five months at the Birsa Munda Central Jail where he was serving a jail term since December 23, 2017. Lalu Yadav surrendered on August 30 in a special CBI court of Ranchi. Lalu Yadav was convicted in two more cases in January and March this year and awarded 14 years imprisonment. In 2013, he was convicted in the first fodder scam case and sentenced to jail for five years.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 20, 2018 11:47 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).