IRCTC case: Delhi High Court refuses to stay trial against Lalu

Patna: The Delhi high court on Monday refused, for now, to stay the trial against former railway minister Lalu Prasad and asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file its response to the RJD chief’s plea challenging the trial court order framing charges against him in the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotel scam case.Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said the court could not pass an order on the stay application without hearing the CBI or going through its reply. The court issued notice to the CBI on Lalu’s petition and stay application, called for the trial court record, and listed the matter for further hearing on January 14.During the brief hearing, senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Maninder Singh, appearing for the former railway minister, said they were seeking a stay on the trial court proceedings.

The high court said, “It will consider the stay application on January 14 after the CBI files its reply.” Justice Sharma also remarked, “Let them file a reply. You should have come earlier, you didn't come,” indicating the court’s reluctance to grant interim relief without the agency’s response.

The CBI’s counsel sought time to file the reply.The case relates to alleged irregularities in the grant of operational contracts of two IRCTC hotels to a private firm.

On October 13, 2025, the trial court framed charges against the accused persons—Lalu, his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, their son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, and 11 others — for alleged offences of cheating and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code, along with sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.Lalu had approached the Delhi high court challenging the trial court’s order.According to the CBI chargesheet, a conspiracy was allegedly hatched between 2004 and 2014.

The agency claims that two railway hotels, located in Puri and Ranchi, were first transferred to the IRCTC and later leased for operations, maintenance, and upkeep to Sujata Hotels Private Limited of Patna.The CBI alleged the tender process was rigged and manipulated, and that conditions were tweaked to benefit Sujata Hotels, a private company. The chargesheet also named IRCTC group general managers V K Asthana and R K Goyal, and Vijay Kochhar and Vinay Kochhar, directors of Sujata Hotels and owners of Chanakya Hotel, Patna. Delight Marketing Company, now known as Lara Projects, and Sujata Hotels Private Limited were also named as accused firms.The trial court also directed that a charge be framed under Section 420 of the IPC against Lalu, Rabri, Tejashwi, M/s Lara Projects LLP, Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, former Union minister Prem Chand Gupta, and his wife Sarla Gupta.