Special Judge Vishal Gogne formally framed charges against 13 accused in the IRCTC case, including Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, and Tejashwi Yadav.
The court informed Rabri Devi of the allegations regarding land allotment at lower rates and explained that similar charges apply to Tejashwi Yadav.
Both Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav pleaded not guilty, while Lalu Prasad Yadav refused to accept the charges and opted to face trial.
The court will conduct the trial against Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav under Sections 120B and 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), while Lalu Prasad Yadav will additionally face charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act due to his position as Railway Minister at the time.
Lalu challenged the charges, maintaining that he would confront the trial.
The IRCTC case relates to alleged irregularities in tenders for railway hotels and catering services between 2004 and 2009, when Lalu Prasad Yadav served as Railway Minister.
The Railway Board had assigned full control of railway hotels and catering services to IRCTC, including hotels in Ranchi and Puri.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleged that tenders during this period involved financial misconduct and irregularities.
Besides the Yadav family, the court also framed charges against former IRCTC Group General Manager VK Asthana, RK Goyal, directors of Sujata Hotels Vijay and Vinay Kochar, and other individuals and entities.
The CBI submitted a chargesheet in 2017, which included 14 accused. The agency claimed to possess sufficient evidence of wrongdoing during the tender process for railway hotels and catering services.
The IRCTC case is separate from the ‘Land for Jobs’ case and focuses specifically on the alleged irregularities in IRCTC-managed railway hotels.
The case highlights concerns regarding transparency and accountability in government allocations and contracts.
The court reserved its decision on framing charges during a previous hearing and proceeded with formal charge framing on 13 October.
The trial is now set to proceed, allowing the court to examine the allegations, hear evidence, and determine the outcome.
The proceedings underscore the judiciary’s role in addressing corruption and ensuring accountability among public officeholders.
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