IRCTC scam case: Delhi HC asks CBI to reply to Tejashwi Yadav’s plea against charge framing order

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday (January 6, 2026) sought response of the CBI on a plea by RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav challenging an order framing charges against him in the alleged IRCTC scam case.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Mr. Tejashwi’s petition and stay application, and listed the matter for further hearing on January 14, when his father Lalu Prasad Yadav’s similar plea will also be heard.

On October 13, 2025, the trial court had framed charges against the accused persons — Mr. Lalu, his wife Rabri Devi, son Mr. Tejashwi Yadav and 11 others — in the case for the alleged offences of cheating, criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Mr. Tejashwi and Mr. Lalu, the former Union Railway Minister, have approached the High Court assailing the trial court’s order, which stems from alleged irregularities in the grant of operational contracts of two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotels to a private firm.

Besides Mr. Lalu Yadav, the court had framed charges against Pradeep Kumar Goel, Rakesh Saksena, Bhupendra Kumar Agarwal, Rakesh Kumar Gogia and Vinod Kumar Asthana under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(d)(ii) and (iii) of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act.

Section 13 (2) deals with the punishment for criminal misconduct by a public servant, and Section 13(1)(d)(ii) and (iii) with abuse of position by a public servant to obtain favours.

The court had also directed that the charge be framed under IPC section 420 (cheating) against Mr. Lalu Prasad, Ms. Rabri Devi, Mr. Tejashwi, 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.

The maximum punishment under the PC Act is 10 years, while for cheating is seven years.