New Delhi, January 3 (NationPress) The Delhi High Court is expected to address on January 5 the plea of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav challenging a trial court's ruling that set forth allegations of cheating, conspiracy, and corruption against him in connection with the IRCTC scam, as stated by a lawyer on Saturday.

The plea from the chief of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is anticipated to be presented before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.

On October 13, the trial court ruled to frame charges under Sections 420 and 120B of the IPC along with provisions from the Prevention of Corruption Act, thereby initiating a trial in the IRCTC hotel scam.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) claims that the alleged fraudulent activities occurred from 2004 to 2009 while Lalu Prasad was serving as the Union Railway Minister.

It is alleged that two hotels owned by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) were improperly leased to a private entity, with allegations that valuable land in Patna was improperly transferred to Lalu Prasad’s relatives and a proxy company in exchange.

Recently, a Delhi court dealt a blow to former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and other members of the Yadav family by dismissing their motions to transfer a number of corruption and money-laundering cases from the jurisdiction of Special Judge Vishal Gogne.

Principal District and Sessions Judge and Special Judge (PC Act) Dinesh Bhatt of the Rouse Avenue Courts rejected four transfer petitions submitted by Rabri Devi, which were connected to the IRCTC hotel scam, the CBI’s land-for-jobs case, and two associated money-laundering cases being pursued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

With these transfer requests denied, all criminal proceedings against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, and other family members will remain under the purview of Special Judge Gogne.

Rabri Devi argued for the transfer, asserting that the trial Judge, Gogne, had exhibited conduct that incurred a “reasonable apprehension of bias” regarding her case.

She claimed that the judge was “unduly inclined towards the prosecution” and was pursuing her and her family members with a predetermined mindset.

Other defendants, including members of the Yadav family, supported the transfer motions, alleging that the cases against them were being addressed with unusual speed and urgency.

Senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing Rabri Devi, noted that approximately 29 cases were pending before Judge Gogne, yet none were being processed as rapidly as the four involving the former Chief Minister and her family. He highlighted that between January 1, 2025, and December 14, 2025, the four cases had been scheduled on 117, 70, 50, and 28 occasions, respectively.