The Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI) has supplied a list of around a dozen prosecution witnesses who will depose against Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav and others for their alleged involvement in the IRCTC hotels case, people in the know told ET.
The agency has already issued notices to the formal witnesses asking them to appear in the special CBI court which will commence the trial on October 27. According to people quoted above, the agency will seek to conclude the deposition of witnesses swiftly without any overlapping of statements or evidence. After the examination of the said witnesses, the CBI will produce more prosecution witnesses to buttress its charges against the accused.
Earlier this month, a special CBI court had framed charges against the former Union railway minister Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav and others for their alleged involvement in the IRCTC hotels case.
The court framed charges of corruption (under relevant provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act), criminal conspiracy, cheating and others against Lalu. Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav and others are charged with several offences, including conspiracy and cheating. All the three have pleaded not guilty in the court. According to people in the know, the accused are likely to challenge the said order.
Framing the charges, special CBI Judge Vishal Gogne had held that he had reached a prima facie conclusion that Lalu was in the complete know of the processes and intervened to influence the transfer of the hotels. Pronouncing the order on October 13, the judge said, "There were material modifications in the tender process... It has emerged as a distinct possibility that at the point of sale, the land parcels were undervalued and then came to be vested in the hands of Lalu."
The court had further observed that Lalu's actions caused great loss to the public exchequer. It also said that various individuals "engaged in a conspiracy which may have involved multiple smaller conspiracies".
Concluding its arguments on charges in July, the CBI had urged the special CBI court to frame charges against the accused under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The CBI had booked Lalu, his family members and others in July 2017 for allegedly making ill-gotten gains by tweaking the terms of tender of IRCTC hotels.
After almost a year-long investigation, the agency filed its charge sheet in April 2018. In compliance with the Delhi HC's order dated February 2019, the CBI in March 2020 filed a status report in response to a petition filed by one of the co-accused.
The CBI, in its status report, said it had sought prosecution sanction against one accused in July 2018. According to the CBI, Lalu allegedly committed misconduct by colluding with the owners of the Chanakya and Sujata hotels in Patna through IRCTC officials and owners of a front company belonging to him and Rabri Devi.
The agency has already issued notices to the formal witnesses asking them to appear in the special CBI court which will commence the trial on October 27. According to people quoted above, the agency will seek to conclude the deposition of witnesses swiftly without any overlapping of statements or evidence. After the examination of the said witnesses, the CBI will produce more prosecution witnesses to buttress its charges against the accused.
Earlier this month, a special CBI court had framed charges against the former Union railway minister Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav and others for their alleged involvement in the IRCTC hotels case.
The court framed charges of corruption (under relevant provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act), criminal conspiracy, cheating and others against Lalu. Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav and others are charged with several offences, including conspiracy and cheating. All the three have pleaded not guilty in the court. According to people in the know, the accused are likely to challenge the said order.
Framing the charges, special CBI Judge Vishal Gogne had held that he had reached a prima facie conclusion that Lalu was in the complete know of the processes and intervened to influence the transfer of the hotels. Pronouncing the order on October 13, the judge said, "There were material modifications in the tender process... It has emerged as a distinct possibility that at the point of sale, the land parcels were undervalued and then came to be vested in the hands of Lalu."
The court had further observed that Lalu's actions caused great loss to the public exchequer. It also said that various individuals "engaged in a conspiracy which may have involved multiple smaller conspiracies".
Concluding its arguments on charges in July, the CBI had urged the special CBI court to frame charges against the accused under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The CBI had booked Lalu, his family members and others in July 2017 for allegedly making ill-gotten gains by tweaking the terms of tender of IRCTC hotels.
After almost a year-long investigation, the agency filed its charge sheet in April 2018. In compliance with the Delhi HC's order dated February 2019, the CBI in March 2020 filed a status report in response to a petition filed by one of the co-accused.
The CBI, in its status report, said it had sought prosecution sanction against one accused in July 2018. According to the CBI, Lalu allegedly committed misconduct by colluding with the owners of the Chanakya and Sujata hotels in Patna through IRCTC officials and owners of a front company belonging to him and Rabri Devi.
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