New Delhi, May 6: The legal proceedings involving the Lalu family in the IRCTC scam have been postponed. On Wednesday, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi deferred its decision on framing charges. The next hearing is scheduled for May 22, when the court will announce its ruling.
In this case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against Lalu Prasad Yadav, the leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, along with his son Tejashwi Yadav, wife Rabri Devi, daughter Misa Bharti, Hema Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav, and several others.
Notably, a previous hearing on April 16 was also postponed. At that time, the court was supposed to frame charges, but the hearing was pushed forward, setting the new date for May 6.
The entire case is linked to the IRCTC hotel tender scam, which reportedly occurred between 2004 and 2014, during which Lalu Prasad Yadav served as the Railway Minister in the central government. Investigative agencies allege that rules were violated in awarding tenders for the maintenance of two IRCTC hotels, resulting in undue benefits to a private company.
It is alleged that in exchange for this tender, a company linked to the Lalu family received land or other financial advantages. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) claims that there was an abuse of power and serious irregularities in the tender process.
The CBI registered an FIR on July 7, 2017, naming Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, Rabri Devi, and several others. Following this, multiple raids were conducted in Delhi, Patna, Ranchi, and Gurugram, where crucial documents and evidence were seized.
However, Lalu Yadav and his family have categorically denied all allegations, asserting that the case is part of a political conspiracy aimed at framing them.
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