Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav face PMLA trial in IRCTC case: What Delhi court ordered

Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav face PMLA charges in the alleged IRCTC land-for-hotels case after a Delhi court ordered framing of charges.

Updated : Sep 10, 2026, 05:12 PM IST

Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, and son Tejashwi Yadav will face money-laundering charges in the alleged IRCTC land-for-hotels case after a Delhi court on Thursday ordered the framing of charges against them and four others.

The case pertains to alleged irregularities during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure as Railway Minister in the UPA-I government. According to the CBI case, in 2004, two IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri were allegedly awarded to Sujata Hotels for maintenance. The prosecution alleged that, in return for the favour, a prime piece of land in Patna was transferred through a benami company linked to the family of former Union minister Prem Chand Gupta. The CBI registered an FIR in July 2018 alleging corruption and quid pro quo in the hotel contracts.

The Enforcement Directorate later registered a money-laundering case under the PMLA, based on the CBI FIR. Its investigation focused on the alleged “proceeds of crime” generated through the transactions and their movement through companies and other entities.

The ED case involved Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and others. The wider case also names people/entities including Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, Delight Marketing (now Lara Projects) and former IRCTC managing director P K Goel.

Delhi court's special Judge Vishal Gogne said there was a “strong suspicion” against the accused and rejected claims that the investigation was driven by political vendetta. Seven other accused were discharged. The court also rejected the defence argument that the proceedings were motivated by political vendetta, observing that the nature, timing and course of the investigation did not appear to be politically motivated.

The accused is required to appear on October 3 for formal framing of charges. The allegations will now be tested through evidence and arguments during the proceedings.

The order means that Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav will now face trial on the money-laundering allegations in the ED case. However, the framing of charges does not mean the court has found them guilty. At this stage, the court has found sufficient material/strong suspicion to proceed with the trial. For the Yadav family, the immediate impact is therefore continued criminal proceedings under the PMLA, alongside the existing CBI corruption case.