RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav
Highlights
- The Rs 950 crore fodder scam took place in undivided Bihar when Lalu was the CM
- Lalu had surrendered before the CBI court and is in custody since February 15
- He was sentenced five-year jail and fined Rs 60 lakh in Doranda treasury case in Feb
The Jharkhand High Court on Friday granted the CBI time till April 22 to reply on the bail plea of ex-Bihar Chief Minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. He was convicted in the fodder scam.
Prasad was convicted by a Ranchi CBI court in February in the animal husbandary scam pertaining to the withdrawal of Rs 139.35 crore from the Doranda treasury during 1995-96 when he was the Chief Minister of erstwhile undivided Bihar. He was sentenced to undergo imprisonment for five years and pay a fine of Rs 60 lakh. This was Lalu's fifth conviction in a series of fodder scam cases.
Prasad, who was on bail, had surrendered before the CBI court and is in custody since February 15. The former Bihar CM was then shifted to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences here for monitoring of his medical condition.
The fodder scam is pegged at Rs 950 crore. The money was withdrawn from various treasuries through fake challans and bills by the animal husbandary department. Prasad, who was the CM at the time, also held the portfolio of the finance department and had received huge kickbacks.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court earlier this week agreed to examine pleas filed by the CBI challenging two orders of the Jharkhand High Court granting bail to Lalu in the multi-crore rupees fodder scam.
