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A Delhi court on October 3, 2026, postponed formal framing of money-laundering charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav and six others in the Enforcement Directorate’s IRCTC hotel case. The next date reported is October 30. The adjournment was not a dismissal or acquittal.
What happened at the October 3 hearing?
Special Judge Prashant Kumar adjourned formal framing of charges in the ED money-laundering case until October 30, 2026. The judge asked the ED to seek instructions in light of an order made by the predecessor court. The report does not give a more detailed reason for the adjournment or specify what instructions the ED must seek.
How many people face charge framing in the ED case?
The ED had arrayed 16 accused. On September 10, the predecessor court discharged seven and ordered charges framed against the remaining nine. The October 3 hearing was scheduled for formal charge framing for those nine, but that step did not take place. The Economic Times’ PTI report does not list the precise statutory charges against each person.
What does the ED allege?
The ED alleges that tenders to operate IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri were manipulated to favour Sujata Hotels. According to the agency, the hotel’s directors, Vinay and Vijay Kochhar, then transferred Patna land at undervalued rates to Delight Marketing Company Pvt. Ltd. The ED further alleges that shares in that company were later transferred to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav, and that it was renamed Lara Projects. These are allegations, not findings of guilt in this update.
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How is the ED case different from the CBI case?
They are separate proceedings concerning different alleged offences. The ED case concerns money laundering; the CBI case concerns alleged corruption. A court framed corruption charges against Lalu Yadav and 11 others in the CBI case in October 2025. That is distinct from the ED charge-framing step adjourned on October 3, 2026; the report does not say the CBI proceeding was postponed.
| Proceeding | Agency and case type | Procedural status reported |
|---|---|---|
| ED case | Enforcement Directorate; money laundering | Formal framing of charges against nine accused was adjourned to October 30, 2026. |
| CBI case | Central Bureau of Investigation; alleged corruption | Corruption charges were framed against Lalu Yadav and 11 others in October 2025. |
Does charge framing establish guilt?
No. Charge framing is a pre-trial procedural step, not a conviction. The predecessor court said there was strong suspicion against those facing charges and that the nature, timing and course of the investigation did not indicate political vendetta, as Lalu Prasad’s counsel had argued. That characterization belongs to the earlier order and does not establish guilt.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happens next?
The next hearing date reported for formal framing in the ED case is October 30, 2026. The court’s reason for adjourning and the precise charges to be framed were not detailed in the report. The October 3 update was reported by The Economic Times, citing PTI: IRCTC hotel scam: Delhi court defers formal framing of charges against Lalu Yadav, 8 others.
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