Patna: In a major setback to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leadership ahead of the upcoming Bihar elections, a Delhi court has framed charges against former Bihar Chief Minister and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, and son Tejashwi Yadav in the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotel corruption case.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne stated that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had produced a credible chain of evidence suggesting that a criminal conspiracy was hatched with Lalu Yadav’s knowledge. The court observed that during his tenure as Railway Minister, Yadav influenced the tender process for two IRCTC-owned hotels, allegedly favouring Sujata Hotels in exchange for undervalued land parcels transferred to his wife and son.
All accused have pleaded not guilty and sought trial. The development comes at a politically sensitive time, potentially impacting RJD’s campaign narrative ahead of the state elections.
