A Delhi court on Monday framed charges against Lalu Prasad, wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav in a corruption case, with just weeks left before the Bihar Assembly polls.

The case involves alleged irregularities in the award of the operational contracts for two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotels to a private firm when Lalu Prasad was railway minister between 2004 and 2009. In exchange for the contracts, it’s alleged, Lalu’s family acquired prime land in Patna at below-market rates.

Tejashwi, the leader of the Opposition in Bihar, hinted at political victimisation and signalled his resolve to continue fighting the BJP.

“A month ago, when Union Home Minister Amit Shah ji came to Bihar, he was threatening us that he wouldn’t leave us in a condition to contest elections. I will fight and I will win. We are Biharis, true Biharis.… We do not fear outsiders. Jai Bihar, Jai Bihari,” he said in a post on X.

The development is expected to figure prominently in the campaigning for the November 6 and 11 elections, with the RJD alleging a political vendetta and the NDA flagging the multiple corruption charges against the Yadav family.

When the trial court framed charges against Lalu and Rabri — both former chief ministers — and former deputy chief minister Tejashwi, they pleaded not guilty and said they would face trial.

Special judge Vishal Gogne later listed the examination of the prosecution witnesses for October 27.

The court observed that there was a “prima facie” case against the accused and pointed to “grave suspicion” relating to the land transfers. It described Lalu as “seemingly the fountainhead” of the conspiracy.

“On account of the above receipt of shares and therefore immovable property by Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Prasad Yadav in circumstances intrinsically linked with the award of the tender in a possibly manipulative manner to M/s Sujata Hotels with the influence of Lalu Prasad Yadav, they both emerge prime facie as participants in the criminal conspiracy of which Lalu Prasad Yadav was seemingly the fountainhead,” the court said.

It framed charges relating to cheating, criminal conspiracy and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The BJP rushed to attack the RJD, the party with the largest number of seats in the last Assembly elections in 2020.

MP Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged that Lalu had abused his positions as chief minister and railway minister for personal gain and described the charges against the Yadavs as “shameful”.

According to the CBI chargesheet, which alleges a conspiracy, two BNR hotels of the railways in Puri and Ranchi were first transferred to the IRCTC and later leased to the Patna-based Sujata Hotels for their operation, maintenance and upkeep.

The agency has alleged that the tender process was manipulated and the conditions were altered to favour Sujata Hotels.

In the land-for-jobs scandal — another corruption case against the Yadav family from the time Lalu was railway minister — the Delhi court has deferred its order on the framing of charges till November 10.