The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on a petition filed by former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, challenging the framing of charges against her in the alleged IRCTC scam case. The matter was listed before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, who posted it for further hearing on January 19, alongside similar pleas filed by her husband Lalu Prasad Yadav and son Tejashwi Yadav.
Rabri Devi has contested the trial court’s October 13, 2025 order that framed charges under cheating, criminal conspiracy, and corruption provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act against her, Lalu Prasad, Tejashwi, and eleven others.
In her plea, Rabri Devi argued that the trial court’s order is based merely on “presumption” without any material evidence showing her involvement in the alleged conspiracy. “It is a matter of record that neither A-1 (Lalu Prasad Yadav) nor his family members, including the petitioner, were ever involved in the tender process for BNR Hotels at Ranchi and Puri,” the petition stated. It further argued that there was no evidence, oral or documentary, showing Lalu or his family issued any instructions in relation to the tendering process.
The plea contends that the special court presumed Lalu’s influence, being the then Railway Minister, might have swayed IRCTC officials to manipulate the tender process—an allegation Rabri Devi insists should be tested only during trial and cannot form the basis of a charge at this stage.
According to the CBI, a criminal conspiracy was allegedly hatched between 2004 and 2014, when BNR hotels in Ranchi and Puri were first transferred from Indian Railways to IRCTC and then leased out to Sujata Hotels Pvt Ltd, a Patna-based company, in a rigged tender process.
The CBI has alleged that Lalu Prasad, while serving as Union Railway Minister, conspired with Sarla Gupta (owner of Sujata Hotels and wife of RJD MP Prem Chand Gupta), IRCTC officials, and others to secure “undue pecuniary advantage.” The charge sheet claims that the tender was manipulated under the supervision of then-IRCTC Managing Director P.K. Goyal.
The special court framed charges under Section 13(2) read with Sections 13(1)(d)(ii) and (iii) of the Prevention of Corruption Act against several accused, including former IRCTC and Railway officials. These provisions relate to abuse of official position and criminal misconduct by public servants.
Charges under Section 420 IPC (cheating) were also framed against Lalu, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi, Sarla Gupta, Prem Chand Gupta, M/s LARA Projects LLP, and others. Additionally, a common charge of criminal conspiracy under Section 120B IPC was directed to be framed against all 14 accused, in conjunction with the aforementioned offences.
The maximum sentence under the Prevention of Corruption Act is 10 years, while the offence of cheating under IPC carries a punishment of up to 7 years.
The case is now scheduled to come up for further hearing on January 19.
