Delhi court delays money laundering charges against Lalu Yadav, family members

Special Judge Prashant Kumar deferred the proceedings to October 30, seeking further directions from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) based on an earlier court order. The adjournment came during scheduled hearings to formally charge Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav, and six others in connection with allegations under money laundering statutes.

In September, the predecessor court had discharged seven of the 16 accused initially named by the ED, while directing the framing of charges against nine others. The court had scheduled October 3 for the formal charge proceedings, which have now been pushed forward by nearly a month.

The predecessor court had previously determined there was sufficient suspicion against the accused to proceed with charges. It rejected defence arguments that the investigation constituted political vendetta, noting that the nature, timing, and course of the inquiry did not support such claims. The court had already framed corruption charges against members of the RJD leadership in connection with the alleged scam.

The IRCTC hotel scam case, involving purported irregularities in the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation's hotel operations, has been under investigation by the ED for several years. The latest deferment suggests ongoing procedural matters require clarification before the formal charge sheet can be presented in court.