No Stay on Trial Against Lalu Prasad in IRCTC Scam; Delhi HC Seeks CBI Reply

The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to grant an immediate stay on the trial against Lalu Prasad Yadav in the alleged IRCTC scam case.

The court asked the Central Bureau of Investigation to file its reply to Yadav’s plea challenging the framing of charges.

Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma said the court could not pass any interim order without hearing the probe agency.

The bench issued notice to the CBI and fixed the next hearing for January 14. It also called for the trial court record.

What the Court Said

During the brief hearing, the court noted that it must examine the CBI’s response before deciding the stay request.

Justice Sharma observed that the trial court order had been passed earlier and the petitioner approached the high court later.

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The judge said the stay application would be considered after the reply is filed.

The CBI’s counsel sought time to submit the response. The court granted the request and scheduled the matter accordingly.

Arguments From Lalu Prasad’s Counsel

Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Maninder Singh appeared for Lalu Prasad. They said the defence was seeking a stay on the ongoing trial proceedings.

They informed the court that two witnesses had already been examined within a month.

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Despite the submission, the court maintained that it would not halt the proceedings without hearing the prosecution.

Charges Framed by Trial Court

On October 13, 2025, the trial court framed charges against Lalu Prasad and several others.

The accused include his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav, and 11 others.

The charges include cheating and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code. They also include offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Case Linked to IRCTC Hotel Contracts

The case relates to alleged irregularities in awarding operational contracts of hotels owned by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation.

According to the CBI, a conspiracy was hatched between 2004 and 2014. During this period, BNR hotels at Puri and Ranchi were first transferred to IRCTC.

Later, their operation and maintenance were leased to Sujata Hotels Private Limited, a Patna-based firm.

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The agency alleged that the tender process was rigged. It said conditions were changed to benefit the private company.

Accused Named by CBI

The chargesheet named IRCTC officials VK Asthana and RK Goyal. It also named Vijay Kochhar and Vinay Kochhar, directors of Sujata Hotels and owners of Chanakya Hotel.

Two firms were also listed as accused. These are Sujata Hotels Private Limited and Delight Marketing Company, now known as Lara Projects.

Trial Court’s Strong Observations

The trial court earlier made sharp remarks on the transactions involved. It said the land and share dealings were possibly an example of crony capitalism.

The court noted that private participation in railway hotels appeared to be used as a cover for undue benefit.

Besides Lalu Prasad, charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act were framed against Pradeep Kumar Goel, Rakesh Saksena, Bhupendra Kumar Agarwal, Rakesh Kumar Gogia, and Vinod Kumar Asthana.

Legal Provisions and Penalties

The charges include Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(d)(ii) and (iii) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. These deal with criminal misconduct and abuse of official position.

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Charges under IPC Section 420 for cheating were also framed against Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, and other accused.

A common charge of criminal conspiracy under IPC Section 120B was directed against all 14 accused.

Under the law, the maximum punishment under the Prevention of Corruption Act is ten years. The offence of cheating carries a maximum sentence of seven years.

What Lies Ahead

The Delhi High Court will hear the matter again on January 14. The decision on staying the trial will depend on the CBI’s response and the court’s assessment of the case record.

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