On coming out of the Special CBI court in Ranchi on Friday, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad said the CBI raids on his residence in Patna and other places was a “political vendetta against him and he will not be cowed by such acts”.
Mr. Prasad appeared before the court in connection with a fodder scam case.
“I’ve done nothing wrong … these are political vendetta against me and my family to defame us but I’ll not be cowed by such raids,” Mr. Prasad told journalists.
The BJP and the RSS were behind all these acts but “even if I’m finished off I’ll stop not until I force them out from power”, he said.
“I’ve asked my sons and family members to respect CBI officials and cooperate with them as they are officers and have to follow what the Narendra Modi government would ask them to do”, he said adding that the CBI shouldn’t have conducted a raid in his absence.
While reading out a leaf of paper, Mr. Prasad said he had not broken any rule or regulation in awarding two hotels to the IRCTC. “Everything was done according to rule and regulations… if CBI officials would ask me, I’m ready to explain them in detail”, he observed.
“IRCTC was formed in 1999 and I became Railway Minister in 2004… as per rules laid down by the then NDA government, an open tender of these two hotels were floated for 15 years on lease…if anyone can prove where my signature is or I’ve done anything wrong I’m ready for the punishment”, Mr. Prasad.
Mr. Prasad recalled how he had anticipated on RJD’s Foundation Day that BJP would send him to jail. “Its all part of it… Narendra) Modi, Amit Shah and RSS are responsible for the raid to frighten me and bully me…but, I’ll not, come what may”, said Mr. Prasad.
