PMLA Case Linked To IRCTC Scam: Court To Pronounce Charge Orders Against Lalu On March 3

Special Judge Vishal Gogne reserved the order after hearing detailed submissions from counsel appearing for the accused persons and the Enforcement Directorate.

The court indicated that the order on whether charges will be framed is likely to be pronounced on March 3.

Appearing for the ED, Additional Solicitor General D P Singh, along with Advocate Manu Mishra, submitted that sufficient material exists on record to proceed against the accused under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The prosecution argued that the alleged proceeds of crime were generated through illegal transactions linked to the LARA Projects LLP and were subsequently laundered through a web of companies and individuals.

The money laundering case stems from the IRCTC hotels corruption case originally registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The ED’s charge sheet names Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, LARA Projects LLP, Sarla Gupta, Prem Chand Gupta, Gaurav Gupta, Nath Mal Kakrania, Rahul Yadav, Vijay Tripathi, Devki Nandan Tulshyan, Sujata Hotels, Vinay Kochar, Vijay Kochar, Rajiv Kumar Relan and Abhishek Finance Pvt. Ltd.

Notably, on October 13, 2025, the Rouse Avenue Court had already framed charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav and others in the connected IRCTC hotels scam case being prosecuted by the CBI. In that case, the court framed charges for criminal conspiracy, cheating and offences related to corruption.

According to the CBI, while Lalu Prasad Yadav was Railway Minister, IRCTC hotel contracts were allegedly awarded in exchange for three acres of prime land transferred through a benami company. The CBI registered an FIR in July 2017 and conducted searches across multiple locations in Patna, New Delhi, Ranchi and Gurugram. The ED subsequently registered a PMLA case on the basis of the CBI FIR and carried out a parallel investigation.

With the trial court now reserving orders on framing of charges, the proceedings in the money laundering case are poised to enter a crucial stage next month.

Meanwhile, Rabri Devi has moved the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on the framing of charges, in the above mentioned case. A similar petition by her husband Lalu Yadav was also listed before the high court. Justice Swarana Kanta 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.

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.”