Delhi High Court seeks CBI response on Rabri Devi's plea against charges in IRCTC scam
Rouse Avenue Courts has framed charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating against Rabri Devi.
Rabri Devi has said the trial court "presumed" her role in the alleged conspiracy when no material was available to suggest her involvement.
The Delhi High Court has sought the stand of the CBI on a petition by Rabri Devi, wife of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and former Bihar chief minister, challenging the framing of charges against her in the IRCTC scam case.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma has issued notice on her petition and listed it for hearing on January 19, when similar petition by her husband Lalu Yadav is also listed. Justice Sharma had declined to grant a stay on the trial against Yadav at this stage, noting that such relief could not be considered in the absence of a response from the investigating agency.
On October 13, 2025 a Delhi Court framed charges of corruption against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav and others in connection with the alleged IRCTC scam case. Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Courts passed the order, observing that sufficient material existed to proceed against the accused. All three leaders pleaded "not guilty" to the charges.
The case pertains to alleged irregularities in the allotment of contracts for the maintenance of two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotels in Ranchi and Puri during Lalu Prasad’s tenure as Union Railway Minister. Following the framing of charges, the court stated that the matter will now proceed to trial.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has accused the trio and other co-accused of criminal conspiracy, cheating, and corruption; offences that carry a maximum sentence of seven years. The accused have denied the allegations, claiming there is no prosecutable evidence. Lalu Prasad, who served as the Union Railway Minister during the UPA-I regime, has also contested the validity of prosecution sanctions obtained by the CBI. The CBI, on its part, argued before the Court in February 2025 that there is enough material to proceed with trial.
According to the CBI’s charge sheet, a conspiracy was allegedly executed between 2004 and 2014, wherein the BNR Hotels in Puri and Ranchi, owned by Indian Railways, were first transferred to the IRCTC and then awarded on lease to Sujata Hotels Pvt Ltd, a Patna-based private firm. The tender conditions were purportedly manipulated to benefit the company. Besides the Yadav family, the charge sheet names former IRCTC officials V K Asthana and R K Goyal; directors of Sujata Hotels, Vijay and Vinay Kochhar; and corporate entities Delight Marketing Company (now Lara Projects) and Sujata Hotels as accused.
Pertinently, in March 2023, the Delhi Court had granted bail to former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, daughter Misa Bharti and others in connection with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) scam case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). It is to be noted, that on February 27, 2023, the Delhi Court had issued summons to Lalu Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, daughter Misa Bharti and 13 others in the present case while observing, “A perusal of the charge sheet and the documents and material on record, prima facie shows the commission of offences under Section 120B read with Sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 IPC and Sections 8, 9, 11, 12, 13 (2) read with Section 13 (1) (d) of PC Act, 1988 and substantive offences thereof. Accordingly, cognizance is taken of the said offences.”