Fodder scam: Bihar ex-CM Jagannath Mishra appears in court

Ranchi: Former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra appeared in a special CBI court here on Thursday morning in connection with two fodder scam cases, officials said.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, also a former Bihar Chief Minister, would also appear in the court in a fodder scam case on Friday.

Mishra appeared in two fodder scam cases related to fraudulent withdrawal from Dumka and Doranda treasury of Jharkhand. 

Lalu, who has been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court, would arrive in Ranchi on Thursday to appear in the court on Friday.

Lalu has been issued summon in connection with a case related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 95 lakh from Deoghar treasury.

The summon has been issued after the Supreme Court in May set aside Jharkhand High Court ruling and said Lalu and others made accused in different cases would have to face the cases separately.

Lalu has been convicted and sentenced to five years' imprisonment in one of the five cases of fodder scam for which he was tried.

The Rs 900 crore fodder scam surfaced in early 1990s when Lalu was the Bihar Chief Minister. Most of the cases cropped up in the Jharkhand region of the then undivided Bihar.