The central investigation agency has filed a case against the Lalu, his wife and former chief minister of Bihar Rabri Devi, Bihar deputy chief minister and his son Tejashwi

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The CBI raided the premises of family members of former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in connection with a fresh case of alleged irregularities in awarding the tender for maintenance of hotels in Ranchi and Puri. The CBI also registered an FIR naming Lalu, his son and Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi, wife Rabri among others.

Lalu Prasad Yadav has said that he has done nothing wrong, adding that he will brief the press extensively in a short while. RJD leaders also decried political witch hunt, claiming that the BJP-led central government is behind the CBI raids.

"While I wasin Ranchi for the hearing of a court, I learnt that CBI wanted to raid our Patna recidence," Lalu Yadav said. He said that the raids are nothing more than a politically motivated witch hunt.

"This has nothing to with the CBI or anyone else. BJP is behind this politically motivated attack behind me. They want to scare me, break me. but Lalu Yadav is not scared of Amit Shah's empty threats. I will break the BJP before I break, no matter how much time it takes," Yadav said.

Lalu Prasad Yadav said that he was not in the wrong and the scam, if any, must have originated in the NDA's tenure. He said that the IRCTC was formed in 1999 and the maintenance and upkeep of hotels were handed over to the body. Then in 2006, it was the IRCTC that gave the tender for maintaining some of the hotels which were in shambles, to other private players.

"This is probably the first time in recent years that these many high profile corruption/ financial irregularity cases have been simultaneously pursued in India. That's a good sign for both, the nation and its economy, and a significant step to shake off the image of being a nation prone to corruption at high-level. Currently, in all the current high profile cases that are being investigated, the presence of corporate-political nexus is palpable."

"Today is darkest day in Indian democracy, we will not be cowed down by this. We Will fight legally and politically," RJD leader MOhan Jha said.

RJD leaders, reacting to the incidet, said that the BJP has been trying to harass and silence its opponents for a while and the raids on Lalu Prasad Yadav were only another addition in the series.

According to India Today TV, electronic gadgets of Lalu Prasad Yadav's sons have been seized by the CBI as part of the evidence. The agency also seized documents related to 10 land deals, CNN-News18 reported.

"Raid appears to be another extension of the way Centre is treating opposition leaders. We will react only when we come across what IT deprtment has discovered during raids. But this is a fact that opposition leaders are in BJP’s target," JD(U)'s KC Tyagi.

"BJP is trying to weaken the Mahagathbandhan. I will not let that happen. I blame Narendra Modi and Amit Shah for this," Lalu Prasad Yadav said on Friday in Patna.

"Raid appears to be another extension of the way Centre is treating opposition leaders. We will react only when we come across what IT deprtment has discovered during raids. But this is a fact that opposition leaders are in BJP’s target," JD(U)'s KC Tyagi.

A chain of transactions could be Lalu Prasad Yadav's downfall. The Yadavs, perhaps in their haste to control the alleged benami property, have already left a lot of evidence and paper trail. If it goes about diligently, the CBI may be able to put the entire Yadav clan through a lot of trouble.

In a move that spells fresh trouble for Lalu Prasad Yadav, CBI raided his properties in 12 places, including his house in Patna, in connection with a fresh case of alleged irregularities in awarding tenders for maintenance of hotels in Ranchi and Puri. The CBI FIR, a copy of which was procured by ANI, named eight entities, including Lalu, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, and former managing director of IRCTC PK Goel as the accused. Read more here .

With law-enforcing agencies going the whole hog against Yadav and his family members, it would not be premature to write his political epitaph. Lalu Prasad Yadav and his politics have clearly outlived their utility. But it would be wrong to rejoice at the developments, since Yadav's ignominious fall from grace is nothing short of a social tragedy for Bihar.

#CBI searches a BJP conspiracy, witch hunt; have done nothing wrong and am open to any probe, says @laluprasadrjd pic.twitter.com/b7e3UyGkQD

#BREAKING --It was not just me,my family, my wife and kids were also targeted. BJP is targeting all Opp : Lalu Yadav pic.twitter.com/PoWmlAYWNw

"BJP is trying to weaken the Mahagathbandhan. I will not let that happen. I blame Narendra Modi and Amit Shah for this," Lalu Prasad Yadav said on Friday in Patna.

Meanwhile, on Friday, Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi demanded the removal of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's two minister sons - Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav from the Bihar cabinet.

The CBI raided the premises of family members of former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in connection with a fresh case of alleged irregularities in awarding the tender for maintenance of hotels in Ranchi and Puri, according to ANI. Raids are being carried out at over 12 places in Delhi, Gurugram, Patna, Ranchi and Puri from 7.30 am on Friday and were still underway at the time of writing this report.

CBI registers a case against then Railway Minister(2006),wife,son and others on allegations of awarding tender for hotels in Ranchi and Puri — ANI (@ANI_news) July 7, 2017

The central investigation agency has filed a case against the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief, his wife and former chief minister of Bihar Rabri Devi, Bihar deputy chief minister and his son Tejashwi, the then IRCTC MD, PK Goyal, the wife of Yadav's confidante Prem Chand Gupta, Sarla, and others, CBI sources said.

CBI team at Lalu Prasad Yadav's residence in Patna pic.twitter.com/2gnmrtYFy3 — ANI (@ANI_news) July 7, 2017

Gupta is also a former Union corporate affairs minister.

The sources said the FIR relates to allegations of irregularities in awarding the tender for development, maintenance and operation of BNR Hotels in Ranchi and Puri, awarded to the privately owned Sujata Hotels in 2006. ANI accessed the copy of the FIR filed by the CBI, naming the former railway minister's family and other big names.

ANI EXCLUSIVE: CBI FIR copy in Railway hotel tenders case, names Lalu Yadav, wife Rabri,son Tejaswi and others pic.twitter.com/hbLcGiKCuv — ANI (@ANI_news) July 7, 2017

Tender irregularities when Lalu was Railway Minister; Raids conducted in Delhi, Ranchi, Patna, Puri, Gurugram: CBI on Lalu Yadav hotel deals pic.twitter.com/UEC5SaPBup — News18 (@CNNnews18) July 7, 2017

Briefing the press, CBI Additional Director Rakesh Asthana said that ample proof of alleged irregularities were found in the privatisation of two Indian Railways hotels to register a case. The BNR Hotels are heritage hotels of the Indian Railways which were taken over by the IRCTC from the public transporter earlier in 2006.

However, later the hotels were transferred to M/s Sujata private limited — a firm owned by Sarla Gupta — for maintenance and upkeep. The tenders were allegedly transferred in disregard of the set guidelines. Asthana also said that another tract of land was transferred to the Sarla's firm in western Patna at rates, considerably less than the active circle prices at the time.

Searches are being conducted today at 12 locations including Delhi, Patna, Ranchi, Puri, Bhubaneswar and Gurgaon, they said. Sarla and Prem Chand's residences are also under the scanner.

Reacting to the news, Bharatiya Janata Party's Bihar unit chief, Sushil Modi told CNN-News 18 that the onus is once again on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to decide whether he wants people like Tejashwi in his cabinet. Modi, targeting the RJD chief, said that thanks to the fodder scam that true face of Lalu was uncovered and he was unseated from the chief minister's post, otherwise nobody knows what all scams he would have created. No reactions have come so far from the Janata Dal United camp, which is an RJD ally in Bihar. However, Lalu Yadav, who is appearing for a court hearing in another case, said that he will address the media after the court hearing on Friday.

Congress also appeared guarded in it's response; senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said "This is not a political matter worthy of comment. The law must take its course but any kind of political campaigning must not be done at this point."

BJP leader and Union minister Venkaiah Naidu said that the talk that the CBI raids are politically motivated are wrong. He said that the CBI is a central agency, which acts on its own mandate. The BJP leader also refused to link the development with the grand alliance in Bihar.

"Whatever is happening is not related to Nitish... I don't want to link this with Nitish. He is a very wise man and he will know what's to be done," Naidu said.

Ranchi: Lalu Prasad Yadav leaves for court to appear in fodder scam case, says will speak on today's CBI raids later today pic.twitter.com/w5BNZLrPSf — ANI (@ANI_news) July 7, 2017

RJD leader Mohan Jha putting up a brave front said, "Today is darkest day in Indian democracy, we will not be cowed down by this. We Will fight legally and politically," according to ANI.

Lalu is also an accused in the infamous the multi-crore Bihar fodder scam. He is accused of carrying out corruption and irregularities in payments for animal fodder and is already a convict in one case and is facing trials in five other similar case. He has faced five years in prison over the case and has been debarred from fighting elections till 20124.

With inputs from agencies