Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court has once again postponed its verdict in the money laundering case related to the IRCTC scam. The order will now be delivered on June 9th. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken action against several accused in this case, including former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav, and Misa Bharti.
The case was previously heard on May 6th, but the court reserved its decision that day. The court has already completed the process of framing charges, and all eyes are now on the next hearing.
The Enforcement Directorate has filed a charge sheet against Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family in this case. It is believed that the court’s order, due on June 9th, could determine the direction of further legal action.
In an earlier hearing, the court also acknowledged that the alleged tender scam was conspired with Lalu Yadav’s knowledge. According to the court, the allegations of interference in the tender process and financial gain are serious.
This case dates back to the time when Lalu Prasad Yadav was the Railway Minister in the UPA government between 2004 and 2009. It is alleged that during his tenure, widespread irregularities occurred in the tender allocation for the BNR hotels in Ranchi and Puri, which fall under the IRCTC umbrella. According to investigating agencies, Sujata Hotels Private Limited was awarded the contract to operate the hotels, bypassing regulations. In return, the Lalu family was allegedly given valuable land in Patna.
Allegations of Interference in the Tender Process
The Rouse Avenue Court, in its order, stated that sufficient evidence of interference in the tender process was found. According to the court, these alleged irregularities resulted in financial gain for the Lalu family. On this basis, the court granted permission to prosecute Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav, Misa Bharti, and several others.
According to the CBI investigation, Vinay Kochhar and Vijay Kochhar were benefited in exchange for the hotel contract. The agency alleges that in exchange, approximately three acres of land was transferred to a company linked to the Lalu family.
The investigation revealed that this land was transferred from Delight Marketing Limited to Lara Projects for only ₹65 lakh. The market value of the land was reported to be approximately ₹94 crore and the circle rate was approximately ₹32 crore.
Investigating agencies say this case is a glaring example of abuse of power and corruption. It is alleged that government influence was used to benefit private companies, and the Lalu family received financial benefits in return. All eyes are now on the court’s order, scheduled for June 9th, as this decision could determine the future legal course of the case.