ED Seizes Assets Worth Rs 447.5 Million Linked to IRCTC Hotel Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has confiscated assets totaling Rs 447.5 million in connection with the IRCTC hotel scam, a case that has now reached the Special Court in Delhi. The seizure was executed under Section 5 of the Prevention of Money‑Laundering Act, 2002, after the ED uncovered a network of transactions designed to launder illegal proceeds.

Investigators traced the flow of funds to a series of property deals involving a two‑acre land parcel in Ranchi, which was transferred at a far‑below‑market price to Mesrs Delight Marketing Company Private Limited. The company is linked to Prem Chand Gupta, a close associate of former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Later, ownership of the land and the marketing firm was shifted to Rabri Devi and her son Tejashwi Yadav through a token‑price acquisition of shares, effectively placing the assets under the Yadav family’s control.

The ED’s action was initially reported in an August 24, 2018 prosecution complaint filed before the Special Judge (PC Act) at Rajouri Avenue Court. The recent court order now directs the framing of money‑laundering charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav and six additional accused under Sections 3 and 4 of the PMLA.

The asset seizure and the forthcoming charges underscore the seriousness of the allegations, which include abuse of official position, corruption, and financial crime.