Delhi court on Wednesday directed the CBI to respond to Rabri Devi’s plea seeking transfer of the IRCTC case from Special Judge Vishal Gogne.
The Principal District and Sessions Judge at Rouse Avenue Courts issued notice to the CBI, directing it to reply by December 6.
Rabri Devi has moved applications seeking the transfer of four cases pending before Special Judge Gogne. The Enforcement Directorate pursues money laundering proceedings, and the cases also include the IRCTC scam and cash-for-jobs case.
However, the court issued notice on Wednesday only for the IRCTC scam case.
Principal District and Sessions Judge Dinesh Bhatt observed that the transfer pleas for three matters lacked the necessary parties.
These matters involve quid pro quo land transfers and money laundering cases against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav and others.
In her plea, Rabri Devi alleged Special Judge Gogne’s bias, claiming his conduct created a reasonable apprehension of prejudice.
“The conduct of the Ld. Special Judge, on various occasions during the course of proceedings in all the above-mentioned cases, appears to be unduly inclined towards the prosecution and bias, which can be seen from a number of instances of the case proceedings/orders itself,” the transfer plea stated.
She has therefore requested transferring the matters to another court to ensure justice, equity, and fair play in the proceedings.
On October 13, Judge Gogne had ordered framing of charges under IPC sections 420 and 120B. CBI alleges the scam occurred between 2004 and 2009 when Lalu Prasad, as Railway Minister, approved irregular IRCTC hotel leases.
The CBI claims his family members or linked entities illegally received prime Patna land in exchange for those hotel leases. Job seekers for Railway Group D posts transferred land to Lalu Prasad’s family in return.
The ED is prosecuting the family under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for laundering proceeds from transactions.
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