IRCTC case: Lalu, wife, son, top Railway Board official charge-sheeted
New Delhi, April 16: The CBI on Monday filed a charge-sheet against former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav, a top Railway Board official, RJD MP P.C. Gupta and others in connection with its probe into the alleged irregularities in the 2006 IRCTC hotels maintenance contract case.
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official told: "The agency has filed a charge-sheet against 12 persons and two companies in a Delhi court.
"Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, his son and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, then MD of IRCTC P.K. Goel, Chanakya hotel owners Vinay and Vijay Kochhar, Sarala Gupta -- wife of Prem Chand Gupta, and Lara Projects LLP."
Besides, the CBI charge-sheet also named Additional Member of the Railway Board B.K. Agarwal, who was then Group General Manager (GGM) of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
The official said in the case filed last year, Agarwal's name was not there. His name was included only after evidence was found against him.
The CBI also charge-sheeted former GGM of IRCTC V.K. Asthana, R.K. Gogia -- then company secretary and GGM of IRCTC, Ramesh Saxena -- then IRCTC Director and Sujata Hotel Pvt Ltd.
The case pertains to the period when Lalu Prasad was the Railway Minister.
On April 10, the CBI had grilled Rabri Dev for hours in Patna in connection with the case.
In October last year, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had also questioned Lalu Prasad and his younger son Tejashwi Yadav at its Delhi headquarters.
The CBI on July 5, 2017 filed a corruption case against Rabri Devi, Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav for alleged irregularities in the allotment of contracts of two IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri in 2006 to a private firm.
The contracts were given to Sujata Hotels, a company owned by Vijay and Vinay Kochhar -- both named in the CBI FIR -- in lieu of a bribe in the form of a three-acre commercial plot at a prime location in Patna district.
A preliminary CBI inquiry reportedly found that the said land was sold by the Kochhars to one Delight Marketing Company and payment was arranged through Ahluwalia Contractors and its promoter Bikramjeet Singh Ahluwalia, another accused in the case.
Delight Marketing, which bought the property from the Kochhars, was later taken over by Rabri Devi and Tejashwi, the CBI discovered.
Sarla Gupta, wife of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad's close associate Prem Chand Gupta and a director of Delight Marketing, is a co-accused in the case.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing the money laundering aspect in the case and it had on July 27 last year registered a separate case following the CBI FIR.
The ED is probing Lalu Prasad and others for alleged transfer of money through shell companies.
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Indian High Commission hosts Pongal festivities for migrant workers in Singapore
Singapore (PTI): The Indian High Commission in Singapore led nearly 1,500 Indian migrant workers in a day-long celebration of Pongal, a major harvest festival, that also marks the beginning of the Tamil month.
High Commissioner Dr Shilpak Ambule and Tung Yui Fai, Chief of the Assurance, Care and Engagement Group in the Ministry of Manpower, joined the celebrations on Sunday, extending greetings and well wishes to the workers at the festival held in the northern Singapore’s industrial district of Sembawang.
“The evening brought together migrant workers, community partners, and volunteers in a vibrant celebration of culture,” said S. Ganesh, lead organiser of Mett.AI which organises events for migrant workers through social networks.
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“Over 50 talented local artists, performing alongside migrant workers, delivered electrifying performances and colourful cultural showcases that captured the essence and vibrancy of India’s harvest festivals,” he said.
More than 110 dedicated volunteers, mostly Indian professionals working in Singapore, helped transform the event into a memorable experience for the workers from India employed by heavy duty construction and marine industries as well as domestic helpers, said Ganesh.
The Sunday evening programme featured live music, traditional performances, yoga and meditation sessions, and a fashion showcase highlighting India’s rich textile heritage and festive traditions.
The celebration, a second edition by the High Commission, is also part of the Pongal-events hosted by the Singapore Indian Heritage Centre on Saturday.
The Heritage Centre activities included Tanjore art paintings, a classic South Indian art for participants to learn key techniques for designing and creating their own Tanjore painting masterpiece.
Dr Ambule informed the migrant workers about consular outreach activities, especially passport renewal camps and asked them to participate widely at the High Commission. He thanked the Manpower Ministry for their support to the workers community and their collaboration with High Commission for the workers’ welfare.
