Former Bihar Chief Minister Accuses Judge of Prejudice
Rabri Devi, the wife of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and former Chief Minister of Bihar, has formally requested the Rouse Avenue Courts in New Delhi to remove four cases linked to the alleged IRCTC scam from Special Judge Vishal Gogne's court.
In a significant legal move, Rabri Devi has accused Judge Gogne of conducting proceedings "with a premeditated mind with a sole aim to convict" her, raising serious questions about judicial neutrality in these high-profile cases.
Details of the Transfer Application
The application was filed before the principal district and sessions judge, seeking transfer of all four matters where Rabri Devi faces accusations. These cases include:
- The alleged IRCTC hotel tender scam
- An alleged cash-for-jobs case
- Related money-laundering proceedings
In her petition, the former Bihar CM expressed strong concerns about receiving a fair trial under Judge Gogne's supervision. She specifically alleged that the judge was "disproportionately inclined in favour of the prosecution" throughout the proceedings.
Allegations of Judicial Bias
Rabri Devi's legal team has argued that Judge Gogne's approach has fundamentally undermined judicial neutrality in these cases. One of the key complaints highlighted in the application concerns the withholding of rulings on various filings.
According to the former chief minister, this procedural delay has effectively deprived the accused of the right to appeal important legal decisions, creating what her legal team describes as an uneven playing field in the courtroom.
The development marks another chapter in the long-running legal battles involving the Lalu Prasad Yadav family, with the IRCTC scam cases being particularly significant given their political implications in Bihar politics.
Legal experts are closely watching how the principal district and sessions judge will respond to these serious allegations against a sitting special judge, as the decision could set important precedents for similar cases in the future.
