Delhi HC To Hear Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Plea Against IRCTC Scam Charges

The Delhi High Court is expected to take up on Monday a plea by RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav challenging a special court’s decision to frame charges against him and several members of his family in the alleged IRCTC scam case.

According to PTI, the petition filed by the former Union railway minister questions the special court order that framed charges against Yadav, his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, their son and deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, and 11 other accused. Court sources told PTI that the matter is listed before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma on January 5.

Reported PTI, Lalu Prasad Yadav had recently approached the high court seeking to set aside the order passed by the special court on October 13, which had formally framed charges in the case.

In its October ruling, the special court framed charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the accused. It also made a strong observation that the land and share transactions linked to the case were “possibly an instance of crony capitalism fostered in the garb of eliciting private participation in the Railways' hotels at Ranchi and Puri.”

Besides Lalu Prasad Yadav, charges under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(d)(ii) and (iii) of the Prevention of Corruption Act were framed against Pradeep Kumar Goel, Rakesh Saksena, Bhupendra Kumar Agarwal, Rakesh Kumar Gogia and Vinod Kumar Asthana, PTI reported. Section 13(2) deals with punishment for criminal misconduct by a public servant, while Section 13(1)(d)(ii) and (iii) relate to abuse of official position to obtain undue advantage.

The court further directed that charges under IPC Section 420, dealing with cheating, be framed against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, M/s LARA Projects LLP, Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, Sarla Gupta and Prem Chand Gupta.

“A common charge is directed to be framed against all (14) accused under section 120B (criminal conspiracy) IPC read with section 420 IPC and section 13(2) read with section 13(1)(d)(ii) and (iii) PC Act,” the court had said.

According to PTI, the maximum punishment prescribed under the Prevention of Corruption Act is 10 years’ imprisonment, while the offence of cheating under the IPC carries a maximum sentence of seven years.

(With inputs from PTI)