Delhi HC to hear tomorrow pleas filed by Lalu Prasad, family challenging framing of charges in IRCTC hotel scam case

New Delhi, Jan 18 (IANS) The Delhi High Court is slated to hear on Monday the pleas filed by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members challenging a trial court order that directed the framing of criminal charges against them in the alleged IRCTC hotel scam case. 

As per the cause list published on the official website of the Delhi High Court, the matters are listed before a single-judge Bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma for hearing on January 19.

The criminal revision petitions have been filed by Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and their son Tejashwi Yadav, assailing the trial court's order directing the framing of charges for offences related to corruption, criminal conspiracy and cheating in the IRCTC hotel scam case.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the criminal revision petitions as well as the application seeking a stay on the trial court proceedings filed by Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav.

While issuing notice, Justice Sharma had observed that the pleas be heard together with the criminal petition filed by Lalu Prasad Yadav.

In her plea, Rabri Devi has contended that the trial court, without properly appreciating the material on record, had erroneously framed charges against her merely on presumptions.

Tejashwi Yadav, in his petition, has also questioned the legality and correctness of the trial court order, arguing that the prosecution had not made out a prima facie case warranting the framing of charges.

In an order passed on October 13, 2025, Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Courts paved the way for the trial of Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, their son Tejashwi Yadav and other accused under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as well as provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, after they pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The special court had reserved its order on May 29 after hearing detailed arguments on the issue of framing of charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, his family members, Prem Gupta, Sarla Gupta and Railway officials Rakesh Saksena and P.K. Goyal.

The alleged scam pertained to the period between 2004 and 2009, when Lalu Prasad Yadav was the Railway Minister.

During his tenure, two IRCTC hotels were allegedly given on lease without following prescribed norms. One of the hotels was allotted to Sarla Gupta, wife of Prem Gupta, a close associate of the RJD chief and a Rajya Sabha MP at the time.

As per the prosecution, the RJD leader got three acres of prime land through a benami company.

Claiming that there were no irregularities on his part, Lalu Prasad Yadav has maintained that the tenders were awarded in a fair and transparent manner and had sought his discharge from the case.

--IANS

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