Special CBI court to pronounce quantum of punishment in Doranda treasury fodder scam case against Lalu Yadav

RANCHI: The special CBI court in Ranchi, which convicted Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and several others in connection with the final fodder scam case, will pronounce the quantum of punishment for the convicts on Monday.

The special CBI court had last week found Lalu guilty of fraudulent withdrawal of more than one hundred and 39 crores amount from Doranda Treasury in Jharkhand.

Apart from Prasad, former MP Jagdish Sharma, the then Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Dhruv Bhagat, Animal Husbandry Secretary Beck Julius and Animal Husbandry Assistant Director Dr K M Prasad are the main accused.

The special court, however, acquitted 24 other accused for lack of evidence. The court then sent RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav to judicial custody in Hotwar jail. Special CBI court judge SK Shashi had earlier ordered Lalu Yadav and the other 99 accused to physically appear in the court. 

The RJD supremo, who has been sentenced to 14 years in prison and slapped with a total fine of Rs 60 lakh, has secured bail in the four cases related to Dumka, Deoghar and Chaibasa treasuries. This scam happened when Lalu Yadav was the Chief Minister of Bihar before the formation of Jharkhand. 

The fodder scam came to light in January 1996 after a raid at the Animal Husbandry Department. The CBI named Prasad as an accused in June 1997. The agency framed charges against Prasad and former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recorded statements of more than 565 witnesses in more than 15 years in connection with fodder scam. Meanwhile, the CBI could not trace the six accused till date and 55 accused died during this period.