Big blow to Lalu Yadav, Jharkhand High Court rejects RJD chief’s bail plea in fodder scam case

RANCHI: In a big setback to former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, the Jharkhand High Court on Friday dismissed his bail application in connection with a fodder scam case, dashing his chance of immediate release from jail. The high court had on February 12 deferred the hearing to Friday. 

Jharkhand High Court, while rejecting his bail plea in the Dumka Treasury case, directed Lalu Yadav to file a fresh petition after two months.

It may be noted that the RJD leader has been in prison since December 2017 and was sentenced to seven years of jail in 2018 under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and seven years under the Prevention of Corruption Act in relation to the fodder scam case.

The fodder scam pertains to the scandalous withdrawal of Rs 3.5 crore from the Dumka Treasury by the officials of the Animal Husbandry Department between the period of 1991 and 1996 when Lalu was Bihar's chief minister.

"Order on bail deferred due to CBI's delay. We are confident that the February 19 hearing will be in his (Lalu's) favour after that he may be released in next 2-4 days,” Prabhat Kumar, Lalu Prasad's lawyer, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.