Bail to Lalu Prasad, Rabri and Tejashwi in IRCTC scam case

Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj granted relief to the accused upon furnishing of a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and a surety of similar amount while scheduling the next hearing for February 11.

Lalu was given relief after he was produced before the judge through video conference from a Ranchi jail, where he is lodged since December 2017, following his conviction in other cases, as he was unable to appear due to health reasons.

While asking the accused not to tamper with evidence, the court also directed them to surrender their passports and asked them not to leave the country without prior intimation. Welcoming the order, Tejashwi Yadav told reporters, “We are confident of getting justice. We trust the judiciary.”

Alleging that they were being framed by the BJP, Tejashwi said even SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP president Mayawati have come under the CBI’s scanner ever since the duo joined hands ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

“Those who will oppose the BJP, the CBI will register a case against them,” Tejashwi said while walking out of the Patiala House Court premises along with his mother.

The court’s decision comes ahead of Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Patna on February 3.

A senior RJD leader said, “Even though Lalu Prasad is being consulted in Ranchi hospital on important party matters, Tejashwi is our main leader with our party chief being in jail. Tejashwi has been the face of the party for a while and rejection of bail in the case could have caused us huge embarrassment ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s rally.”

The leader said that while the rally’s main attraction is Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi’s speech would be keenly followed.