New Delhi, 04 January (H.S.): The Delhi High Court will likely adjudicate on Monday (January 5, 2026), Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad Yadav's petition challenging a special CBI court's October 13, 2025, order framing charges of cheating under IPC Section 420, criminal conspiracy under Section 120B, and Prevention of Corruption Act (PC Act) Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(d)(ii) & (iii) against him, wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, and 11 others in the alleged IRCTC hotels scam.

The former Union Railway Minister recently approached the high court assailing the Rouse Avenue court's directive, listed before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma per court sources.

Graft Allegations Unpacked

The CBI contends Lalu Yadav, as Railway Minister (2004-2009), manipulated tenders for IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri to favor Sujata Hotels—a Kochar family entity—yielding undervalued land parcels and shares transferred to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi via LARA Projects LLP, embodying crony capitalism masked as private participation promotion.

The court discerned grave suspicion of conspiracy causing state exchequer loss, rejecting discharge pleas and mandating trial with maximum 10-year PC Act and 7-year cheating penalties.

Family and Associates Implicated

Charges extend to Pradeep Kumar Goel, Rakesh Saksena, Bhupendra Kumar Agarwal, Rakesh Kumar Gogia, Vinod Kumar Asthana, Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, Sarla Gupta, Prem Chand Gupta, and entities like Delight Marketing Company, Sujata Hotels Limited. All accused pleaded not guilty; Lalu faces public servant misconduct, while Rabri and Tejashwi confront conspiracy and cheating.Enforcement Directorate probes parallel money laundering.

Legal Trajectory Ahead

This pivotal hearing, amid Bihar's charged polity, tests the CBI's chain of tender tweaks, position abuse, and fraudulent transactions narrative, potentially quashing or upholding trial paving conviction risks up to a decade's incarceration.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar