SC rejects Lalu Prasad Yadav's bail plea in three cases of multi-crore fodder scam

In a big disappointment for RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav, the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday dismissed his bail plea in three cases of multi-crore fodder scam.

On Tuesday, a counter affidavit was filed by the Central Investigation Bureau (CBI) opposing Lalu's bail request. In the counter affidavit, CBI stated that in the "garb of political activities during the elections, Lalu sought for bail, which should not be granted."

The country's premier investigating agency had also said that though Lalu has been in a hospital ward for over eight months he is still indulging in political activities. It is to be noted that the RJD supremo has been undergoing treatment at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi.

"During the period in which the petitioner (Lalu Yadav) remained in hospital, he is not only granted a special paying ward with all facilities but he is virtually conducting his political activities from there which would be clear from the list of visitors," the CBI in its reply said, PTI reported.

"It is submitted that simultaneous raising of pleas for bails on medical grounds and bail to guide the party and to carry out all essential responsibilities as a party president in ensuing Lok Sabha elections are mutually contradictory and manifest that in the garb of bail on medical ground the petitioner, in essence, wants to pursue his political activities which is impermissible in law," it added.

Last week, a SC bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had asked the CBI to file a reply by April 9 and had said that the apex court will hear Lalu's bail plea for hearing on April 10.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for Lalu in the SC, had urged for urgent listing of the bail plea saying notice has been issued in the matter.  However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that the agency needs to file a reply in the matter. "You (CBI) file the reply by April 9. We will take up the matter (Yadav's bail plea) on April 10, the bench said.

Lalu is currently serving his jail term in Ranchi's Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi. 

Lalu has has been convicted in three cases related to over Rs 900-crore fodder scam. The cases pertain to fraudulent withdrawal of money from the treasuries in the Animal Husbandry department in the early 1990s, when Lalu was chief minister of Bihar and Jharkhand was also a part of Bihar.

(With PTI inputs)