IRCTC scam case: Court grants Tejashwi more time to reply on CBI bail cancellation plea

The lawyer appearing for Tejashwi Yadav today sought adjournment in the matter and apprised the court that the main counsel has been made election observer in the ongoing election of the Delhi High Court Bar Association.

New Delhi: Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court on Wednesday granted more time to Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav to file his reply on the Central Bureau of Investigation plea seeking his bail cancellation in the IRCTC scam case and asked him to appear before the court on the next date of hearing.

The lawyer appearing for Tejashwi Yadav today sought adjournment in the matter and apprised the court that the main counsel has been made election observer in the ongoing election of the Delhi High Court Bar Association.

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On the court’s query, the lawyer also apprised the court that the reply has not been filed in the matter yet.

The Special Judge Geetanjali Goel after noting the submission asked Tejashwi Yadav to appear before it on the next date of hearing in the matter — which is October 18, 2022.

Meanwhile, the Court also allowed RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav to travel abroad for medical treatment. He has sought court permission to travel to Singapore for medical treatment from October 10 to October 25. Lalu is presently on bail in CBI and ED in the alleged IRCTC scam case.

The CBI recently had moved Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi with the application seeking cancellation of Bail against Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar. The plea has been moved in the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) scam case.

Special Judge Geetanjali Goel on the last date of the hearing issued notices to Tejashwi Yadav.

According to the CBI, Tejashwi Yadav in a press conference held in August had allegedly threatened CBI officers.

CBI in its plea stated that Tejashwi Yadav had threatened its officials while addressing a press conference, thereby influencing the case.

The statements made by him are an open threat to the CBI, the officers and their families by the Accused. The Accused has openly warned the CBI officers against carrying out the investigations, also resorting to innuendoes and threats in the process, CBI said.

The plea stated that the accused Tejashwi Yadav is highly influential and powerful. He is the son of a former Union Cabinet Minister as well as a former Chief Minister of Bihar. He himself has been and is again the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.

CBI had registered a criminal case against then railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav and others in 2017.

Earlier the court had granted Tejashwi Yadav and others bail after taking cognizance of the chargesheet filed by CBI in the IRCTC scam case. The court noted that the case pertains to alleged irregularities in granting the operational contract of two IRCTC hotels to a private firm.

Former Union Railway Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi are also accused in the case.