New Delhi, June 13
The CBI has registered cases against six sitting and former members of the Rajya Sabha in connection with the LTC scam in which travel reimbursement was allegedly claimed by them through purportedly forged bills.

Sources in the CBI said three sitting MPs — D Bandopadhyay of the Trinamool Congress, Brajesh Pathak of the BSP and Lalhming Liana of the Mizo National Front — have been named along with some travel agents in the cases filed.

But, TMC leader Derek O’Brien said in a tweet: “This is a racket run by corrupt travel agencies... my colleague innocent. But we will cooperate to bust travel agency scam.”

Former RS members JPN Singh (BJP), Mahmood A Madani (Rashtriya Lok Dal) and Renu Pradhan (Biju Janata Dal), too, have been named as accused. CBI sources said searches were being carried out at 10 places in Delhi and Odisha on the premises of politicians and some travel agents who had been named in the case. When asked about the name and place of the travel agents, CBI spokesperson Kanchan Prasad refused to divulge further details, saying the matter was under investigation.

Sources said Madani had allegedly submitted nine fake travel bills and claimed Rs 5.8 lakh, though he had actually paid just Rs 6,000. 

The LTC scam

* Three sitting and three former RS members had claimed travel reimbursement through ‘forged' bills

* CBI has found irregularities in the LTC claims by accused in collusion with travel agents

Three arrested

CBI sleuths took three persons from Odisha’s Ganjam district on remand after producing them in a court in the LTC scam. The 3 persons were Dilip & Pankaj Behera, both travel agents, and Dipak Padhee, a printing press owner. PTI

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