Lara Projects Case: Court defers charge order on Lalu, Rabri &Tejashwi

A Delhi court on Friday deferred its order on framing of charges against former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi, former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and others in the Lara Projects money laundering case,according to agency reports. The Rouse Avenue Court will now pronounce its order on August 27.
The case arises from a prosecution complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency has named 16 accused, including three companies, in the case.The money laundering proceedings are linked to the alleged irregularities in the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotel tender case, which was initially investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Lara projects money laundering case | Rouse Avenue court defers order on framing of charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejaswi Prasad Yadav and others. The date for the order is fixed for August 27.

The ED had filed a charge sheet under sections 3 and 4 of the…

— ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2026

According to the CBI, irregularities occurred in the award of contracts for operating two railway hotels in Ranchi and Puri during Lalu Prasad Yadav's tenure as the Union railway minister. The agency alleged that the tender process was manipulated in favour of Sujata Hotels Private Limited.The investigation also focused on transactions involving Delight Marketing Company, which was later renamed Lara Projects LLP. Investigators alleged that the transactions were part of a larger conspiracy related to the award of the railway hotel contracts.Following the CBI investigation, the ED registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and initiated proceedings under the PMLA against Lara Projects LLP, its directors and shareholders.
The ED's case is separate from the underlying CBI prosecution, although both proceedings stem from the same set of allegations.In the related CBI case, a Delhi trial court has already framed charges against several accused, including Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Lara Projects, in connection with the alleged hotel tender irregularities.The accused have denied the allegations. The Rouse Avenue Court is currently examining whether the material submitted by the ED is sufficient to frame charges under the money laundering law.The court's decision on August 27 is expected to determine whether the case will proceed to trial under the provisions of the PMLA.