Lalu under CBI scanner, raids at 12 locations

Patna: CBI today conducted raids at 12 locations of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, including his residence at 10 Circular Road here, in connection with irregularities committed in leasing out railway hotels at Ranchi and Puri to a private party, when he was Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009. CBI sources said that simultaneous raids were conducted early this morning at 12 locations in Patna, Ranchi, Puri and Delhi in connection with leasing out Railway hotels at Ranchi and Puri to a private party, when Mr Prasad was Railway Minister.

Railway Hotels were allegedly leased to a private company owned by Kochar brothers, violating norms and family members of Mr Prasad had received a costly plot from them using company of RJD MP Prem Chandra Gupta as its conduit. Meanwhile, RJD National Spokesman Manoj Jha told mediapersons that the CBI raid was a result of political vendetta of the Narendra Modi government. It was the darkest day in democratic history of the country, he remarked. (UNI)