CBI summons Lalu, Tejashwi on Oct 3 & 4 respectively

The CBI today issued fresh summons to RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi to appear for questioning on October 3 and 4 respectively in connection with an alleged corruption case.

The CBI rejected the politicians' plea seeking 15 days' time for appearing before the investigation team in the case which relates to alleged graft in awarding a contract to a private firm for the maintenance of two railway hotels when Lalu Yadav was the Union railway minister in 2006.

Tejashwi, who was summoned to appear today, sent his counsel, who submitted a request seeking more time, sources in the agency said.

Yadav has now been called on October 3 and Tejashwi on October 4, CBI spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said.

The case pertains to allegations that 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 abused his official position for extending undue favours to the Kochhars and acquired a piece of "high value premium land" through the benami firm Delight Marketing Company.

As a quid pro quo, he "dishonestly and fraudulently" awarded the contract to them for the two hotels.

After the tender was awarded to Sujata Hotel, the ownership of Delight Marketing also changed hands from Sarla Gupta to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav between 2010 and 2014.

By this time, Lalu Prasad had resigned as railway minister.

The CBI 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.

Others named as accused in the FIR include Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owner of Chanakya Hotel, Delight Marketing Company, now known as Lara Projects, and then IRCTC managing director P K Goel.