Delhi High Court refused to stay the IRCTC scam trial against RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav, but deferred witness cross-examination. The court said it will decide their challenge to charge framing orders before proceedings resume next-to-next week timeline.
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court decided that it will not put a hold on the ongoing trial involving RJD leader Lalu Prasad and his son Tejashwi Yadav in the IRCTC scam case.
However, the court indicated that the trial court may conduct the cross-examination of witnesses “next-to-next” week, by which time it will make a decision on the petitions filed by the father-son duo contesting the trial court’s order to frame charges.
Also Read: IRCTC Scam: Delhi High Court Seeks CBI Reply as Lalu Yadav Challenges Charges
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Lalu Prasad, emphasized that the court had previously scheduled today’s hearing to address the stay of the trial while the current petitions regarding charge framing were pending. He noted that the trial court plans to commence cross-examination after the witness examination concludes.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma stated that,
“Let examination-in-chief be done. I am not giving them a stay,”
She added that she would finalize the matter next week rather than first ruling on the stay issue. The court advised the CBI’s counsel not to press for cross-examination next week.
While urging them not to insist on immediate cross-examination, the court remarked,
“Start cross-examination next-to-next week and I will conclude arguments and pronounce order (in the meantime),”
The IRCTC scam involves alleged irregularities in awarding contracts for Ranchi and Puri railway hotels when Lalu Prasad Yadav was Union Railways Minister (2004–2009).
On 13 October 2025, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court formally framed charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, and 11 others. These charges pertain to alleged offenses of cheating and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as well as provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Earlier, Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Court had framed charges against Yadav for corruption, cheating, and criminal conspiracy. His wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav were also charged with conspiracy and cheating.
According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family allegedly received valuable land parcels and company shares as illegal gratification in exchange for awarding contracts to a private hotel company during his tenure as Union Railway Minister between 2004 and 2009.
The agency alleges that IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri were leased to Sujata Hotels through an irregular and manipulated tender process, while land valued in crores was transferred to a company linked to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav at significantly undervalued rates.
The trial court described the transactions involved in the case as :
“possibly an instance of crony capitalism fostered in the garb of eliciting private participation in the Railways’ hotels at Ranchi and Puri.”
Lalu contended in the chargesheet that there was no substantial evidence against him.
The petition asserted that,
“From the perusal of the entire chargesheet papers, it is evident that the CBI has neither adduced any iota of evidence, either documentary or oral, nor have they recorded any statement of any witness, nor have they able to establish from the circumstantial evidence that there was an agreement between two or more persons to commit an offence,”
It continued,
“No single document has been placed on records, which even indicates that the petitioner had any meeting or meeting of the mind with any of the officials posted at IRCTC for rigging of the tender process since the above notes were allegedly issued by the officials posted with Indian Railway,”
In addition to Lalu Yadav, charges were framed against Pradeep Kumar Goel, Rakesh Saksena, Bhupendra Kumar Agarwal, Rakesh Kumar Gogia, and Vinod Kumar Asthana under Section 13(2) in conjunction with Section 13(1)(d)(ii) and (iii) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which addresses penalties for misconduct by public servants. The court also mandated that charges of cheating under IPC Section 420 be framed against Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi, and several others.
The court stated.
“A common charge is directed to be framed against all (14) accused under section 120B (criminal conspiracy) IPC read with section 420 IPC and section 13(2) read with section 13(1)(d)(ii) and (iii) PC Act,”
The maximum penalty under the Prevention of Corruption Act is 10 years, while for cheating, it is seven years.