Railway tender case: CBI summons Lalu, Tejashwi on Oct 5, 6 respectively

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad failed to appear before the CBI for questioning on Tuesday in connection with a case of corruption.

Fresh summons have been issued to RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his son Tejashwi after their inavailability to appear before CBI.

Lalu, a former railway minister, has been asked to appear on October 5, and Tejashwi the next day, CBI sources said.

Lalu had sought two weeks to appear before the CBI for questioning in connection with a case of alleged graft in giving the maintenance contract for two IRCTC hotels to a private firm.

They had been called on September 11 and 12. Lalu Yadav 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.

On July 7, the CBI carried out searches at 12 locations after registering a corruption case against former railway minister Lalu and his family members, including wife Rabri Devi and his son former deputy chief minister of Bihar Tejashwi.

The case pertains to allegations that Lalu Yadav, as railway minister, handed over the maintenance of two hotels run by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, 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 the RJD leader, as the railway minister, abused his official position for extending undue favours to the Kochhar and acquired a "high value premium land" through a benami firm Delight Marketing Company. As a quid pro quo, he "dishonestly and fraudulently" managed award of leasing of the two hotels.

The CBI has registered the case against Lalu Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, a former Bihar chief minister, son Tejashwi, who was deputy CM until a few months ago, and Sarla Gupta, wife of Prem Chand Gupta, a former union minister.

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