Lalu Prasad Yadav to face intense CBI grilling

New Delhi: Tough days are ahead for RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav as the CBI has prepared a questionnaire with hundreds of points to question the former Bihar chief minister on September 25 in connection with its investigation into the alleged irregularities committed in awarding tenders for development, maintenance and operation of railway hotels at Ranchi and Puri to a private firm when he was the railway minister. Mr Yadav was the railway minister in 2006. Sources privy to the investigation said, “The agency sleuths will certainly ask pointed questions pertaining to the transfer of three acres of land in western Patna to a firm — Delight Marketing, which is known to the family of Mr Yadav, at a very low cost.

Mr Yadav, as railway minister, handed over maintenance of two hotels run by 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 thro-ugh a private firm. He has been asked to appear before the agency on September 25.

“Investigation by the CBI has revealed that once Lalu demitted office as railway minister, shares of Delight Marketing were allegedly transferred from Sarla Gupta of the firm to Rabri Devi and her son Tejashwi Yadav, sources said. The name of Delight Marketing was first changed to Lara Projects and then to Lara Projects Limited Liability Partnership firm. This transfer took place at a very low price. Whereas the land was valued at `32 crore as per the circle rate, it was transferred to Lara Projects at merely `65 lakh,” sources said.

The agency’s FIR alleged that Mr Yadav, as the railway minister, abused his official position for extending undue favours to two private persons, acquired a “high value premium land” through a benami firm.

Sources added that the RJD chief will also be confronted with documents recovered by the agency sleuths during searches from his premises. The CBI on July 7 registered an FIR against Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and his son Tejashwi Yadav in connection with the case. The agency carried out raids at 12 locations, including the premises of Mr Yadav in Delhi, Patna, Ranchi, Puri and Gurgaon.