Lalu family's biz links: 'Lalujee ka Gaushala' & other strange observations

A day after Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav admitted that his minister sons were indeed owners of the land in Patna on which a mall was coming up, Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi stepped up the offensive on the former CM and his family.

Sticking to his guns on all allegations he has made so far, Modi levelled further allegations against Yadav's daughter Chanda. Chanda, according to Modi, misused the Chief Minister's residence in Patna by listing it as her address in corporate filings in 2014, long after her mother Rabri Devi had stepped down as CM and vacated the house.

Modi claimed that in 2014, Chanda was also made a Director in Delight Marketing Co. Pvt Ltd, that later became Lara Projects, listed with the Registrar of Companies. Ragini Lalu, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Tej Pratap and Chanda Yadav are listed as the company's directors. 

While Lalu asserted on Sunday that his family had not indulged in any wrongdoing, he did not present any evidence to dispel doubts over allegations of corruption in a land deal.

The BJP has revived RJD's alliance partner JD(U)'s nearly decade-old allegations that Lalu, as the Union Railways Minister, had acquired two plots of land in Patna at throwaway prices from a business family, and then favoured that company in granting leases to run two of the railways' hotels.

Modi has also alleged that Lalu's sons, Tejashwi and Tej Pratap, did not disclose their ownership of the land in their election affidavits and annual declarations to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Though poll affidavits and declarations to the CM do not have columns where details of corporate filings could be listed, declarations of both ministers have not shown any change in shareholding value from 2015 to 2016.

Eleven companies

Lalu has denied claims that his daughters, Chanda and Ragini, were also directors in the said firm. The fact is Chanda Yadav, Ragini Lalu and their eldest sister Misa Bharti are listed as directors/signatories in another company with a similar name, called Lara Distributors Pvt Ltd.

The Yadav family members are linked with at least 11 different companies, with their names listed in various capacities. These companies have interests in a variety of areas, ranging from construction to IT and from “packers & printers” to hotels and resorts.

These companies go across state lines, with some registered in Delhi, some in Patna and some others in Kolkata. One of them even lists its address as “Lalujee Ka Gaushala” in Patna.

Here is a look at these companies:

1. Lara Projects LLP

Directors/signatories: Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav 

2. Shivoham Entertainment Pvt Ltd

Tej Pratap, Kumar Priye Ranjan, Chhotu Chhaliya

3. Fairgrow Holdings Pvt Ltd

Directors/signatories: Chanda Yadav, Ragini Lalu

4. A B Exports Pvt Ltd

Directors/signatories: Chanda Yadav, Ragini Lalu

5. Sunrise IT Infrasoft Pvt Ltd

Directors/signatories: Chanda Yadav, Ragini Lalu

6. AK Infosystems Pvt Ltd

Directors/signatories: Chanda Yadav, Ragini Lalu

7. Lara Distributors Pvt Ltd

Directors/signatories: Chanda Yadav, Ragini Lalu, Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti (listed as Bharti Misha)

8. Mishail Packers & Printers Pvt Ltd

Directors/signatories: Bharti Misha and Shailesh Kumar (Misa's husband)

9. Aegis Distributors Pvt Ltd

Directors/signatories: Bharti Misha and Shailesh Kumar

10. KHK Holdings Pvt Ltd

Directors/signatories: Bharti Misha and Shailesh Kumar

11. Royal Tulip Hotels & Resorts Private Ltd

Directors/signatories: Shailesh Kumar, Subhash Goyal and Ranjan Kumar

Modi has alleged that the Yadav family has been amassing benami assets and demanded that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar order an impartial probe. Kumar is still silent on these allegations.

It remains to be seen whether the JD(U) will respond to Modi's assertions.