#BreakingNews: Delhi Court Frames Corruption Charges Against Lalu Prasad, Family Members

A Delhi court on Monday framed charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, and son Tejashwi Yadav in the long-running Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotel tender scam. Special Judge Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue District Court held that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had established a prima facie chain of evidence indicating a criminal conspiracy orchestrated with Yadav's knowledge during his tenure as Union Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009. The case, which dates back to 2017, alleges misuse of official position to favour private entities in exchange for undue benefits.

The charges include Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code, alongside provisions of the PCA for abuse of power. Judge Gogne, while pronouncing the operative part of the order, detailed how Yadav allegedly manipulated the tender process for two IRCTC hotels in Puri, Odisha, and Ranchi, Jharkhand, awarding contracts to Delhi-based Sujata Hotels, owned by Vijay and Vinay Kochar. In return, the Kochars purportedly transferred undervalued land parcels in Patna—measuring about 1.5 acres—to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav through their company, AK Infosys Private Limited, at rates significantly below market value. The court rejected the defence's discharge applications, observing that the transactions formed a quid pro quo arrangement, with Yadav's influence ensuring the tenders bypassed fair bidding norms.

Lalu Prasad Yadav, 77, pleaded not guilty upon the charges being read out and claimed innocence, demanding a full trial to prove his case. His family members, including Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav—currently Bihar's Leader of the Opposition—were also charged, with the court noting their active roles in receiving the land allotments. The proceedings unfolded amid heightened political scrutiny, as the Yadav family navigates ongoing legal battles, including the railways land-for-jobs scam, just weeks before Bihar's Assembly elections scheduled for November 2025. RJD spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari dismissed the framing as a "politically motivated vendetta" by the BJP-led central government, vowing to challenge it vigorously.

This development escalates pressure on the RJD ahead of seat-sharing talks within the INDIA bloc, where Yadav's leadership remains pivotal despite health concerns and judicial hurdles. The CBI, which filed the chargesheet in October 2022 after a three-year probe, hailed the order as a step toward accountability in public procurement. The next hearing for evidence recording is set for November 15, potentially prolonging the saga. As Bihar's political landscape heats up, the case underscores persistent allegations of nepotism and corruption against the influential Yadav family, who have dominated state politics for decades.