Delhi Court Orders Money-Laundering Charges Against Lalu Prasad Yadav Family in IRCTC Hotel Case

A Delhi court has ordered that money-laundering charges be formally framed against former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and their son Tejashwi Yadav in connection with an alleged IRCTC hotel scam. Special Judge Vishal Gogne remarked that there is a strong suspicion of abuse of office and proceeds of crime linked to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav, who continue to benefit from a contested Patna land parcel transferred between 2005 and 2014 while Lalu Prasad Yadav served as Union railways minister.

The judge noted that during his ministerial tenure, railway officials allegedly rigged a tender to award hotel leases in Ranchi and Puri. Subsequently, the hotel directors transferred a Patna plot to Sarla Gupta, a close associate of Lalu Prasad Yadav, who then sold the shares to Rabri Devi for a token amount. The court framed money-laundering charges against nine people, including the Yadav family members, while discharging seven others. Formal charge-framing is scheduled for October 3.