Lalu Prasad Yadav seeks discharge in IRCTC case claiming lack of evidence

Former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav has appealed to the Rouse Avenue Court to drop charges against him in the IRCTC corruption case, citing a lack of evidence. The CBI alleges that Yadav received prime land in exchange for awarding maintenance contracts to Sujata Hotels. The court will continue hearing arguments on April 21.

ANI photo Former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav urged the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi on Saturday to discharge him from the IRCTC corruption case , arguing that there is no evidence to justify charges against him. His lawyer, senior advocate Maninder Singh, argued that there is no substantial evidence against Yadav and that the tenders in question were awarded transparently. The case, investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), involves allegations of corruption in the allotment of maintenance contracts for two IRCTC hotels—BNR Ranchi and BNR Puri—to a private company, Sujata Hotels, owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochar.

The CBI claims that in return for the contract, Yadav received three acres of prime land through a benami company. On March 1, the CBI completed its arguments against Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi , his son Tejashwi Yadav, and other accused persons. Special public prosecutor DP Singh and advocate Manu Mishra argued that there was clear evidence of corruption and conspiracy in the tender process and insisted that charges should be framed.

The case dates back to Yadav’s tenure as railway minister from 2004 to 2009. The CBI registered an FIR against him on July 7, 2017, and later conducted raids at 12 locations linked to him and his family across Patna, Delhi, Ranchi, and Gurgaon. The court has scheduled the next hearing for April 21, where further arguments will be heard.

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