The Delhi High Court has postponed the hearing on the petitions filed by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav to January 19. These petitions challenge a trial court order that directed the framing of charges against them in the alleged IRCTC hotel scam case. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Lalu Prasad Yadav, argued that the charge sheet was filed before the grant of prosecution sanction and highlighted that two private transactions were not examined by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in relation to the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The Delhi High Court, while declining to halt the trial court proceedings at this stage, noted that the trial court was conducting daily hearings, a departure from usual practice in similar cases. Tejashwi Yadav’s plea, challenging the trial court’s order, was also brought to the court’s attention. The order by Special Judge Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Courts in 2025 paved the way for the trial of Lalu Prasad Yadav, his family members, and others under Sections 420 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code, along with provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, after they pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The alleged IRCTC scam dates back to 2004-2009 when Lalu Prasad Yadav served as the Railway Minister. It involves the leasing of two IRCTC hotels without following proper procedures, with one hotel allotted to Sarla Gupta, wife of a close associate of the RJD chief. The prosecution alleges that the RJD leader acquired prime land through a benami company during this period.
