Jitan Manjhi thanks judiciary for granting bail to Tejashwi, Rabri

Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday thanked the judiciary for granting bail to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad's son Tejashwi Yadav and his mother Rabri Devi. The two were in the jail for their alleged involvement in the 2006 Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotels tender scam.

"We very well knew that they (Rabri, Tejashwi) will get bail in this case. Judicial process will continue. I thank the judiciary for granting the bail to Tejeshwi Yadav and Rabri Devi," Manjhi told ANI.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari too welcomed the order. "I welcome the decision, there is nothing in this case that could stop the bail. Whoever opposes Modi ji, or tries to strengthen the Opposition, would be framed in false cases," Tiwari said.

A Delhi court on Friday granted bail to all accused, except RJD president Lalu Prasad, in an alleged money laundering case related to the IRCTC hotels tender scam.

Lalu's bail application is pending as he could not appear before the court. He is presently lodged in Ranchi's Birsa Munda Central Jail after being convicted in the multi-crore fodder scam. A production warrant for October 6 was issued against Lalu by the Delhi court on Friday with regard to the IRCTC scam.

The case pertains to alleged irregularities in allotting a contract to a private company for the maintenance of IRCTC hotels located in Ranchi and Puri when Lalu was heading the Railway Ministry from 2004 to 2009.

According to the prosecution report, a conspiracy was allegedly hatched in pursuance of which two BNR hotels of the Indian Railways, were first transferred to the IRCTC and were later given on lease to Patna based Sujata Hotel Pvt Ltd for maintenance and upkeep.

--ANI