CBI Raids Against Lalu Welcome: BJP

Patna, July 7 (IANS): CBI raids on RJD chief Lalu Prasad's residence and 12 other places has been welcomed by the BJP. The raids were related to a fresh case of alleged irregularities in awarding tender for the maintenance of hotels.

The Central Bureau of Investigation carried out raids at 12 places in cities of Patna, Delhi, Ranchi, Puri and Gurugram in connection with the case involving Lalu Prasad and his family members.

"It is right time for (Bihar Chief Minister) Nitish Kumar to end his party JD-U's alliance with the RJD and should sack Lalu's two sons from his cabinet without delay," Bharatiya Janata Party state president Nityanand Rai told IANS here.

Rai said "politics" will change in Bihar after this CBI raids.

Leader of opposition Prem Kumar told the media here that Nitish Kumar should act against Lalu's both the two sons.

"Our stand has been vindicated, Lalu and his family is corrupt."

For nearly three months, BJP leaders have repeatedly alleged corruption charges against Lalu and his other family members. It was alleged that Lalu had accumulated about Rs 1,000 crore illegal property.

The CBI has registered the case against Lalu; his wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi; Tejaswi Yadav; former Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) Managing Director P.K. Goyal; and the wife of Lalu's confidante Prem Chand Gupta, Sujata on allegations of awarding the tender for development, maintenance and operation of hotels in the cities of Ranchi and Puri in 2006.

In the same year, the hotels were transferred to IRCTC.

Lalu Prasad was Railways Minister at that time between 2004-09.