A view of the Delhi High Court. The Court sought response of the CBI on a plea by RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav challenging an order framing charges against him in the alleged IRCTC scam case.

| Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Delhi High Court on Monday (January 05, 2026) declined to stay the trial against RJD leader Lalu Prasad and asked the CBI to submit its response to his plea challenging an order framing charges against him in the alleged IRCTC scam case.The court said it cannot pass an order on the stay application without hearing the probe agency. It listed the matter for further hearing on January 14.Also Read I IRCTC case: Delhi court frames charges against Lalu Prasad, his familyDuring the brief hearing, senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Maninder Singh, representing Mr. Lalu Prasad, said they are seeking stay on the trial court proceedings.‘Late request’The court said it will consider the stay application on January 14 after the CBI files its reply. “Let them file a reply. You should have come earlier, you didn’t come. The trial court order was passed earlier,” the court said.On October 13, 2025, the trial court had framed charges against the accused persons, Mr. Lalu, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and 11 others, in the case for the alleged offences of cheating, criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.Stating that Mr. Lalu Prasad had abused his position as the then Union Minister for Railways to manipulate the eligibility conditions of a land tender process, the trial court, framed the charges against Mr. Lalu Prasad and his family.The matter pertains to a First Information Report (FIR) lodged by the CBI in 2017, against Mr. Yadav, his family, officers of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), and others.Also Read I IRCTC case: Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejashvi Yadav seek dischargeThe Central agency has alleged that Mr. Yadav, during his tenure as Railways Minister between 2004-2009, entered into a criminal conspiracy with the owners of some hotels in Patna, and Puri. It is alleged that he manipulated the process and awarded the tender to accused persons in exchange for bribe in the form of high-value land and shares. Published - January 05, 2026 12:22 pm IST