IRCTC Scam Case: Delhi High Court Seeks CBI Response on Rabri Devi’s Plea Against Charges

New Delhi, January 16, 2026 The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the response of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on a petition filed by Rabri Devi, former Bihar Chief Minister and wife of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, challenging the framing of charges against her in the alleged IRCTC scam case. Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma issued notice on the plea and listed it for hearing on January 19, 2026, when similar petitions filed by Lalu Prasad and their son Tejashwi Yadav are also scheduled to be heard. The petition challenges the trial court’s order dated October 13, 2025, through which charges were framed against Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, and 11 others. The accused face charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy, and corruption under the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Rabri Devi has argued that the trial court presumed her involvement in the alleged conspiracy without any material evidence linking her to the case. In her plea, Rabri Devi contended that neither Lalu Prasad nor any member of his family had any role in the tender process related to BNR Hotels in Ranchi and Puri. She stated that the prosecution itself has admitted that Lalu Prasad, who was the Railway Minister at the time, did not issue any oral or written instructions during the tender process. According to her, the charges were framed merely on the assumption that, due to his position, he may have influenced IRCTC officials—an issue that, she argued, can only be decided after a full trial. The CBI, in its charge sheet, has alleged that between 2004 and 2014, a criminal conspiracy was hatched to transfer BNR hotels of the Indian Railways in Puri and Ranchi to the IRCTC and subsequently lease them to Sujata Hotels Private Limited, a Patna-based firm. The agency claims the tender process was rigged and manipulated, resulting in undue pecuniary benefits. Charges have been framed against 14 accused under IPC Sections 420 and 120B and under Sections 13(2) and 13(1)(d)(ii) and (iii) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which carry a maximum punishment of 10 years’ imprisonment. IRCTC Scam Case: Delhi High Court Seeks CBI’s Response to Rabri Devi’s Plea In New Delhi, the Delhi High Court has sought the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) response to a petition filed by Rabri Devi, former Bihar Chief Minister and wife of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, challenging the framing of charges in the IRCTC scam case. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notice on the plea and scheduled the hearing for January 19, 2026. Rabri Devi has argued that the trial court wrongly presumed her involvement in the alleged conspiracy despite the absence of any material evidence against her. She maintained that neither she nor any member of her family had any role in the tender process related to the BNR hotels in Ranchi and Puri. The petition further stated that the prosecution itself admits that Lalu Prasad, who was the Railway Minister at the time, did not issue any oral or written instructions during the tender process. However, the trial court framed charges based solely on the assumption that his position could have influenced IRCTC officials. According to the CBI, a conspiracy was allegedly hatched between 2004 and 2014 to transfer the BNR hotels to IRCTC and subsequently lease them to Sujata Hotels through a manipulated tender process. Charges in the case include cheating, criminal conspiracy, and corruption, which carry a maximum punishment of up to 10 years under the Prevention of Corruption Act.