CBI working at behest of PM Modi, Amit Shah: Lalu Prasad

Patna: RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Friday said that CBI is working at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP Chief Amit Shah who are playing political game against the leaders of grand alliance.

Quashing the media reports of questioning with Rabri Devi and Tejaswi Yadav for around ten hours by the CBI team, Lalu said that he will never let Modi and Shah succeed in their nefarious designs.

Addressing a press conference here, Lalu said, "Modi government is targeting all opposition leaders to weaken the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance). I will not let that happen. I will destroy the arrogance of Modi and Shah."

Over the CBI raids on his residence, Lalu said, "We are fully cooperating with CBI."

The RJD chief denied involvement in alleged irregularities in awarding of tender for the maintenance of hotels during his stint as the Railway Minister.

"The decision to hand over the hotels to private party was taken in 2003 during the rule of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre, whereas I became the Railway Minister in 2004. In 2006, the award was finalised through an open tender. So, the allegations against me are baseless."

Lalu Prasad said the case against Rabri Devi and Tejaswi was wrong.

"After over a decade, the CBI has filed a case in this matter. Rabri Devi was not a public servant at that time and Tejaswi was a minor," the RJD leader said.

The CBI on Friday carried out raids at the residences of Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri and son Tejashwi Yadav, in connection with a case of alleged irregularities in leasing two railway hotels to a private company when he was the Railways Minister, a charge denied by him.

Scores of CBI sleuths searched at least a dozen locations in Delhi, Gurugram, Patna, Ranchi and Bhubaneswar.

CBI Additional Director Rakesh Asthana said that Lalu Prasad had illegally favoured Sujata Hotels through the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) when he was Railways Minister from 2004 to 2009.

Asthana said the tender for the development, maintenance and operation of BNR Hotels in Ranchi and Puri was "rigged" to favour Sujata Hotels in exchange for 10 plots comprising three-acres in Patna's Shaguna More area.

The case, he said, was registered on July 5 for "criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal misconduct".