The Patna High Court on Wednesday exempted RJD President Laloo Prasad Yadav from personal appearance in the disproportionate assets case against him and extended his provisional bail by three months till March six, 2002. Justice Shashank Kumar Singh passed the order after hearing arguments of Laloo's counsel C R Sinha and CBI advocate Rakesh Kumar.
Laloo's counsel prayed for granting his client a regular bail in the case and pleaded for his exemption from personal appearance as he was required to be produced before CBI courts in various cases of the multi-crore rupees fodder scam in Patna and Ranchi. The CBI counsel strongly opposed the prayer of Laloo's advocate for regular bail, saying the charges against the RJD chief were very serious.
Laloo is on provisional bail in this case relating to amassing of wealth over Rs 47 lakh beyond his known sources of income during the period in which he was chief minister. His wife and Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi is a co-accused in the case.
Bureau Report