• Source:JND
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IRCTC Scam Case: The Delhi court on Monday, October 13, framed charges of corruption against RJD Supremo, Lalu Prasad, his family, and several others in connection with the alleged IRCTC Scam case. 

Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Courts passed the order, reported by Bar and Bench. The court has framed charges of corruption, criminal conspiracy and cheating against Lalu Yadav. The case will proceed to trial since all the accused have pleaded not guilty before the court. In total, there are 14 people accused in the case.

The Yadav family have raised allegations against the probe and said that they are ready to face the trial in the IRCTC Scam. Lalu Prasad further said that the probe is politically motivated and is done to tarnish the image of the party before the upcoming Assembly Elections in Bihar.  

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IRCTC Scam: Top Updates

  • The CBI had filed an FIR against Lalu Yadav on July 7, 2017. 

  • The investigative agency raided 12 locations in Patna, New Delhi, Ranchi and Gurgaon linked to Lalu Yadav and his family. 

  • On March 1, 2025, the CBI concluded its arguments on charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Debi, Tejashwi Yadav and former Union Minister Prem Chand Gupta.

  • The CBI had filed a charge sheet in the case under sections 120, 420 of the IPC and section 13(2) R/W 13(1)(D) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

  • The Delhi court reserved its order on May 29 after hearing day-to-day arguments fom both the prosecution and defence. 

  • The CBI's legal team, led by Special Public Prosecutor D.P. Singh and advocate Manu Mishra, argued that the accused engaged in corruption and conspiracy when awarding two IRCTC hotel maintenance contracts to a private company. 

  • The CBI added that there was sufficient material available to proceed with the hearing against the RJD Leader.

  • The defence argued that there is no material to frame charges against him in the IRCTC corruption case.

  • Senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing the defence counsel, argued that there are no irregularities on the part of Lalu Prasad Yadav. The tenders were awarded fairly and there was insufficient material available to frame charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav. He further said that Lalu should be exonerated from all the corruption charges levied against him.

What Is The IRCTC Scam?

The IRCTC scam, or the Railway Tender Scam, refers to a case dating back to the period between 2004 and 2009 when Lalu Yadav was the Union Railway Minister. According to the CBI chargesheet, between 2004 and 2014, the scam started unfolding when the Indian Railways’ BNR Hotels in Puri and Ranchi were first transferred to IRCTC and later leased to Sujata Hotels Private Limited, based in Patna, Bihar, for operations and maintenance. 

The agency alleged that the tender process obtained by Sujata Hotels was rigged and manipulated by the RJD Supremo. The investigating agency further alleged that Lalu got valuable lands in return for this rigged deal. 

The chargesheet also names V.K. Asthana and R.K. Goyal, then group general managers of IRCTC, and Vijay and Vinay Kochhar, directors of Sujata Hotels and owners of Chanakya Hotel. Delight Marketing Company and Sujata Hotels Private Limited are also named as accused companies in the chargesheet. Delight Marketing Company is now known as Lara Projects.