New Delhi, Nov 24 (NationPress) - Former Chief Minister of Bihar, Rabri Devi, has submitted a request to the Principal District and Sessions Judge at the Rouse Avenue Courts, seeking the relocation of four cases from the court of Special Judge Vishal Gogne. She claims there is bias and a lack of impartiality from the judge.

This transfer request concerns the IRCTC scam case, the alleged cash-for-jobs scandal, and the related money laundering investigations being conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Currently, all four cases are presided over by Judge Gogne, who on October 13, established charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, and corruption against RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, and others involved in the IRCTC hotel scam.

Rabri Devi's petition argues that the Special Judge shows an “undue inclination” towards the prosecution, leading her to feel a “reasonable apprehension of bias.”

“The conduct of the Ld. Special Judge during hearings of the aforementioned cases indicates a clear bias towards the prosecution, which can be observed through various instances in the case proceedings,” the application stated.

“For the sake of justice, fairness, and equity, these cases should be transferred to a different, competent court,” the application emphasized.

Additionally, it asserts that the “apprehension is grounded not in mere speculation but in specific examples witnessed during the proceedings before Special Judge Vishal Gogne.”

On Monday, senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing Rabri Devi, informed Judge Gogne that the transfer application had been submitted and is anticipated to be reviewed shortly.

This development follows a series of challenges faced by the Yadav family.

On October 13, Judge Gogne determined that charges under Sections 420 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act should be framed, initiating the trial in the IRCTC hotel scam.

The CBI alleges that the scam occurred between 2004 and 2009 during Lalu Prasad's tenure as Union Railway Minister, where two IRCTC hotels were leased to a private entity in violation of regulations, and prime land in Patna was allegedly transferred to Lalu Prasad’s family members and a proxy firm in exchange.

In a separate cash-for-jobs case, the CBI claims that individuals applying for Group D positions in the Railways transferred their land to Lalu Prasad’s family or associated entities in return for employment.

The ED is also pursuing actions against the family under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for allegedly misappropriating the proceeds from these transactions.