Hotel scam probe: ED calls Lalu's son-in-law
Rahul is married to Yadav's 4th daughter.
New Delhi: There seems to be fresh trouble for RJD supremo Lalu Yadav’s family as the Enforcement Directorate has now summoned his another son-in-law, Rahul Yadav, regarding investigations into a case of money laundering linked to alleged corruption in allocation of railway hotels.
During the course of investigations in the case, ED noticed some suspicious transaction of funds from Rahul Yadav to his mother-in-law Rabri Yadav, who is also Lalu Yadav’s wife. Rahul Yadav is married to the RJD supremo’s fourth daughter, Ragini.
The investigating agency is already looking into the alleged involvement of another son-in-law of Lalu Yadav, Shailesh Kumar, who is married to RJD leader’s eldest daughter Misa Bharti, in another case of money laundering related to purchase of some properties, including a farmhouse on the outskirts of the capital through a firm Ms Mishail Packers and Printers Pvt Ltd. Misa Bharti, who also happens to be an RJD Rajya Sabha MP and her husband, are said to have financial dealings with the contentious firm.
ED officials claimed they want to question Rahul Yadav regarding transfer of '1 crore and dealings with a company Delight Marketing involve din the case. The investigating agency has already questioned Rabri Devi and her son Tejashwi Yadav in the same case.
In July last year, ED had lodged a case against Lalu Yadav and his family members and some others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The CBI too had registered an FIR and raided multiple locations of Lalu Yadav and some others.
It is alleged that during his tenure as the Railway Minister in 2004 Lalu Yadav had transferred maintenance of two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotels after allegedly receiving bribe in the form of a prime property in Patna which was routed from a benami company owned which was owned by Sarla Gupta, wife of former Union minister Prem Chand Gupta.
Based on CBI’s FIR the ED too lodged a criminal case against Lalu Yadav’s family members and some other persons under the PMLA.
Among others named in the case are Vijay Kochhar and Vinay Kochhar, both of whom were directors of Sujata Hotels, Delight Marketing company which is now known as Lara Projects, and a former IRCTC managing director P.K. Goel.