Court Dismisses Plea for Hearing Gaps in IRCTC Corruption Case
The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi delivered a significant ruling on Tuesday, dismissing petitions filed by former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi that sought to interrupt the day-to-day proceedings in the high-profile IRCTC hotels corruption case.
Special judge Vishal Gogne firmly rejected their request for a one-week interval between court hearings, declaring the application as "not maintainable, practicable or justified" in his official order.
Court Cites High Court Directions for Expedited Hearing
In his detailed order, Judge Gogne referenced previous instructions from the Delhi High Court that actually mandated more frequent hearings. "Apparently, far from restricting the listing of such matters to only once a week, the High Court in fact directed that the listing be at least once a week", the court observed.
The order further emphasized that "a specific direction was rendered for a day-to-day listing of the matter till the examination/cross-examination of witnesses was concluded." This clear directive from the higher court significantly influenced the current ruling.
Prosecution and Defense Present Contrasting Arguments
Senior counsel DP Singh, representing the prosecution, strongly opposed the defense's plea during the proceedings. He argued that conducting the trial on a day-to-day basis was the mandate of law and emphasized the court's special responsibility as the designated forum for cases involving Members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies.
Singh pointed to specific legal obligations, including directions from both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court's order dated November 9, 2023, that require expedited proceedings in such cases.
Meanwhile, defense counsel presented contrasting arguments, requesting additional preparation time due to the massive volume of case documents exceeding 18,000 pages and a substantial charge order spanning 250 pages. They contended that this extensive documentation required adequate time for thorough study and effective preparation for cross-examination of witnesses.
Background of the IRCTC Hotels Corruption Case
The corruption case centers around alleged irregularities in the tender process for two IRCTC hotels located in Ranchi and Puri during Lalu Prasad Yadav's tenure as railway minister between 2004 and 2009.
According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the contracts for operating BNR Hotels in both cities were awarded to Sujata Hotels, a private company owned by Vijay and Vinay Kochhar. The agency alleges this favor was granted in exchange for three acres of prime land that was allegedly acquired by Lalu Prasad through a benami company.
The investigation timeline shows the CBI filed an initial FIR on July 7, 2017, followed by coordinated raids at 12 locations connected to Lalu Prasad and his family members across Patna, New Delhi, Ranchi, and Gurgaon. The agency subsequently filed a comprehensive charge sheet in April 2018.
The accused parties face serious charges under multiple legal provisions, including:
- Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code
- Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code
- Sections 13(2) and 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act
The court had previously framed formal charges on October 13 and directed that the case proceed with day-to-day hearings to record prosecution evidence efficiently. The current stage involves the recording of the prosecution's evidence against Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, their son Tejashwi Yadav, and other accused individuals.
With Tuesday's ruling, the court has reaffirmed its commitment to expediting the trial process, noting that sufficient time had already been granted for cross-examining witnesses and that further delays would not serve the interests of justice.
