ED files PMLA case against Lalu Yadav family over railway hotel tender case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday filed a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Yadav and his family over the railway hotel tender case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), earlier on July 5, had registered a case against the then railway minister Lalu Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, his son Tejashwi Yadav, Sarla Gupta, wife of Prem Chand Gupta, Vijay Kochar and Vinay Kochar, both directors of Messer's Sujata Hotel Private Limited, Messer's Delight Marketing Private Limited, P.K. Goel, the then Managing Directors, IRCTC and unknown others under Section 120 B read with Section 420 of IPC and Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)d prevention of corruption act 1988 in connection with the case.

The case was registered after preliminary inquiry.

The CBI had said the basic allegation in the FIR lodged against RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, was that a conspiracy was hatched in the tender for development, maintenance and operation of BNR Hotels in Ranchi and Puri.

The CBI alleged that the tender process was rigged, manipulated and the conditions were tweak to help the private party.

The RJD, however, brushed aside the allegation and said the agencies were acting as alliance partners of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The development comes amid the Bihar political drama wherein Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar resigned yesterday only to take oath today, with his party Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) forming government in alliance with the BJP, thereby, ending the 'mahagathbandhan' with the RJD.