Fodder scam case: Sentencing of Lalu Prasad Yadav today, lawyers seek 'minimum punishment'

A special CBI court had on December 23 convicted the RJD chief and 15 others in a case relating to the multi-million-rupee fodder scam.

Ranchi: A special court will on Wednesday pronounce the quantum of sentence for jailed former Bihar chief minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and 15 others in a case pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from Deoghar Treasury between 1991 and 1994.

A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court had on December 23 convicted the RJD chief and 15 others in a case relating to the multi-million-rupee fodder scam.

CBI judge Shivpal Singh had pronounced the verdict in the case pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from Deoghar Treasury between 1991 and 1994.

Lalu Prasad's lawyer had on Tuesday told reporters that they would press for minimum punishment in the case.

"Lalu is 70-years-old and suffering from many diseases. We will seek minimum punishment for him," he said.

According to lawyers, Lalu Prasad can be awarded three to seven years of punishment. If he gets three years punishment, he would get bail soon after sentencing.

In a series of tweets, Lalu Prasad had attacked the BJP over his conviction, accusing the party of playing 'dirty politics' to get votes by tarnishing the image of its opponents.

Truth can be made to appear as a lie, as ambiguous or a half lie by concerted onslaught of bias driven propaganda. But blurred layer of bias and hatred will still be removed, come what may! In end Truth will win — Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) December 23, 2017

Interestingly, Wednesday is on January 3, and number three has brought bad luck for Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family. 

He was first time convicted in fodder scam case on September 30, 2013, and was awarded five years' imprisonment on October 3, 2013.

Lalu Prasad is at present cooling his heels in Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi. According to his supporters, the RJD chief has planned to launch an agitation from January 6. 

The CBI court had acquitted another former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra and five others in the case, relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 84.5 lakh from the Deoghar district treasury between 1990 and 1994. Lalu Prasad was the chief minister of then undivided Bihar from 1990 to 1997.

The trial in the case was completed on 13 December in the special CBI court and 10 days later, he was convicted on 23 December.

There were 34 accused in the case, out of which 11 died during the trial, while one turned CBI approver and admitted to the crime. The 16 convicted people include three former IAS officials Phoolchand Mandal, Beck Julius and Mahesh Prasad.

Lalu Prasad is also facing trial in three more cases relating to the fodder scam, also known as "Chara Ghotala".

(With Agency inputs)