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The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued notice on the plea filed by former Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav against framing of charges against him in a money laundering case connected to the alleged IRCTC scam case.

Justice Sachin Datta sought response of the Enforcement Directorate (ED)

The Court also allowed Yadav to take adjournment before the trial court till the next date of hearing before High Court.

The matter will now be heard on December 03.

Yadav has challenged the trial court order passed on September 10 wherein PMLA charges were framed against him, his son Tejashwi Yadav and wife Rabri Devi, amongst others.

“There exists a strong suspicion of abuse of office and proceeds of crime in the hands of Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav who continue to enjoy a tainted land in Patna, which was transferred to them at the behest of Lalu Prasad Yadav, during the years 2005 and 2014 when he was Union Railways Minister,” the Trial Court had said.

The trial court had further said that it was indicated that under Lalu as then Railways Minister, a tender came to be manipulated by railway officials for award of lease of hotels at Ranchi and Puri, whose directors transferred a land in Patna, Bihar, to close associate of Lalu, one Sarla Gupta, who then transferred the shares to Rabri Devi at a pittance. 

The court had framed money laundering charges against a total of nine persons, including Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav. Seven others were discharged. 

The accused in the case are M/S Lara Projects LLP, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sarla Gupta, Prem Chand Gupta, Gaurav Gupta, Nath Mal Kakrania, Rahul Yadav, Vijay Tripathi, Deoki Nandan Tulshyan, M/S Sujata Hotels, Vinay Kochhar, Vijay Kochhar, Rajiv Kumar Relan and M/S Abhishek Finance Private Limited.

It may be noted that in October last year, the trial court had framed charges against the Yadavs, Rabri Devi and 11 others in CBI's corruption case in relation to the alleged scam in question.

Charges were framed for cheating and criminal conspiracy. Prevention of Corruption Act has also been invoked against the accused.

In the corruption case, the Court had also directed that charge be framed under IPC Section 420 (cheating) against Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi, M/s LARA Projects LLP, Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, Sarla Gupta, and Prem Chand Gupta.

Counsel for Petitioner: Senior Advocate Shri Kapil Sibal along with Varun Jain, Navin Kumar, Sumit Singh, Satish Kumar and Khusboo, Advocates

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