Delhi Court frames criminal charges against Lalu Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, Rabri Devi in IRCTC scam case

A Delhi court on Monday framed various criminal charges against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav and several others in the alleged IRCTC Scam case, legal news website Bar and Bench reported.

Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Courts passed the order.

The Court has framed charges of corruption, criminal conspiracy and cheating against Lalu Yadav. Tejashwi Yadav and Rabri Devi are charged with several offences, including conspiracy and cheating, the report said.

Lalu Yadav and the other accused pleaded not guilty and sought a trial in the case after the judge read out the charges against them. The case will now proceed to trial, Bar and Bench said.

What is the IRCTC scam case?

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that former Railway Minister Lalu Yadav and his family accepted prime land as a bribe for awarding contracts to a private firm while he headed the Railways.

According to allegations, during Yadav's tenure as Railway Minister between 2004 and 2009, two IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri were leased to a company named Sujata Hotels through a manipulated tender process. In return, land worth crores was transferred to a company allegedly linked to Lalu’s wife, Rabri Devi, and son, Tejashwi Yadav, at a fraction of its market value.

The Yadav family have questioned the probe and said that there was no evidence against them. They maintain that the case is politically motivated.

The CBI has registered the case against Lalu Yadav, wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi, and Sarla Gupta, the wife of former union minister Prem Chand Gupta. Others named as accused in the FIR include Vijay Kochharand Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owners of Chanakya Hotel; Delight Marketing Company, now known as Lara Projects, and its then-managing director, PK Goel.