IRCTC case: Lalu's plea against daily trial junked

NEW DELHI: The special CBI court in Delhi Tuesday rejected the plea by former railway minister Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi against holding a day-to-day trial in the IRCTC case in which they were charged with criminal offences. Observing that the Constitutional courts have asked trial courts to expedite cases against MPs and MLAs, avoid adjournments and record evidence on a day-to-day basis, special judge Vishal Gogne said their prayer was not maintainable, practicable or justified. On Oct 13, the court had framed criminal charges of corruption, criminal conspiracy, and cheating against Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, their son Tejashwi Yadav & several others in the case, calling Lalu the "fountainhead" of the conspiracy. CBI, which is probing the case, has alleged that two IRCTC hotels were allegedly leased to a company through a manipulated tender process during the stint of Lalu Prasad as railway minister from 2004 to 2009. After the accused pleaded not guilty, the court ordered a day-to-day trial in the case. Apart from the members of the Yadav family, there are 10 other accused in the case.