NEW DELHI—A Delhi court on Monday set the stage for a full-fledged trial against one of India’s most prominent political families, framing charges of corruption, cheating, and criminal conspiracy against former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, and his son Tejashwi Yadav in the long-running Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotel scam.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Court pronounced the order, moving the high-profile case past the preliminary evidence stage. All three political leaders, who appeared physically in court, pleaded ‘not guilty’, asserting their intent to contest the charges.
The Allegations: A Favor for Land
The case, investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), revolves around alleged irregularities committed between 2004 and 2009, when Lalu Prasad Yadav held the powerful post of Union Railway Minister. The core of the allegation is that the Yadav family, along with others, engaged in a scheme to illegally benefit a private entity in exchange for land.
The CBI claims that the maintenance and operation contracts for two key Indian Railways hotels—the BNR hotels in Ranchi and Puri—were deliberately manipulated to be awarded to a private firm, Sujata Hotels Private Limited. As a quid pro quo (something for something), it is alleged that Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family received a valuable piece of prime land in Patna through a shell company, all at a heavily undervalued rate.
Specific Charges and Legal Sections
The court has ordered that the accused be tried under multiple stringent sections of both the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988, based on their individual roles in the alleged conspiracy.
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The Path to Trial and Defense Strategy
By framing the charges, the court has officially confirmed that there is prima facie (on the face of it) material to proceed with a trial. This decision is a major setback for the Yadav family, as it forces them to face the rigours of a full judicial proceeding.
In court, the accused were given the standard opportunity to plead their guilt. Lalu Prasad, a veteran of numerous legal battles, was reportedly defiant, stating, “I am not guilty. I will face the trial.” This response signals that the defense will seek to undermine the prosecution’s evidence, likely arguing that the transfers were legitimate business transactions and that the CBI’s investigation is politically motivated. The court will now begin recording evidence from witnesses for the prosecution.
Political Implications for Bihar’s Power Dynamics
The timing of this legal development is significant. The framing of charges against Tejashwi Yadav, the prominent Leader of the Opposition and key figure of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), comes ahead of crucial political maneuvering in the state of Bihar.
The ruling immediately gives a new talking point to the ruling alliance, which can now intensify its critique of the RJD on the grounds of corruption. For Tejashwi Yadav, who has been working to reinvent his party’s image and mount a challenge against the incumbent government, the charges will be a political liability. The trial, once underway, is expected to cast a long shadow over the state’s political landscape, ensuring that the legacy of graft remains a central theme in public discourse.