NEW DELHI: In a major verdict, a CBI court on Monday found RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav guilty in the multi-crore fodder scam
case. All forty-five people including Yadav were held guilty by the
court. Judge will pronounce the term period of Yadav's sentence on
October 3.
Prasad and 44 others had been charged with fraudulent withdrawal to the tune of Rs 37.7 crore on fake fodder bills from Chaibasa treasury in the 1990s in a case lodged by CBI. Chaibasa was then part of undivided Bihar.
Accompanied by son Tejaswi Pratap and a host of party colleagues, 65-year-old Prasad on Sunday reached Ranchi to be present in the court when special CBI judge Pravas Kumar Singh delivers the verdict.
Besides the RJD supremo, other accused persons include former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra and JD(U) MP Jagdish Sharma.
In recent times, Lalu's younger son Tejaswi Yadav has remained politically very active, fuelling speculations whether he would be handed over the baton. RJD source said that Prasad's wife Rabri Devi, however, favoured her eldest son Tej Pratap Yadav.
"There is nothing to suggest that the war of succession is unfolding in the Rabri-Lalu family. The first time Laluji went to jail, we immediately found the leader to replace him. If Laluji again goes to jail, we will again bank on the same leader (Rabri Devi)," a senior functionary of RJD had told ET.
The government later promulgated an ordinance to undo the apex court order, prompting opposition BJP to allege that it had been done to protect Congress member in Rajya Sabha Rashid Masood, who was recently convicted in a corruption case and also Prasad in case he is indicted in the fodder scam.
Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has, however, slammed the ordinance as "complete nonsense" which should be "torn up and thrown away," leaving its fate uncertain.
Prasad and 44 others had been charged with fraudulent withdrawal to the tune of Rs 37.7 crore on fake fodder bills from Chaibasa treasury in the 1990s in a case lodged by CBI. Chaibasa was then part of undivided Bihar.
Accompanied by son Tejaswi Pratap and a host of party colleagues, 65-year-old Prasad on Sunday reached Ranchi to be present in the court when special CBI judge Pravas Kumar Singh delivers the verdict.
Besides the RJD supremo, other accused persons include former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra and JD(U) MP Jagdish Sharma.
In recent times, Lalu's younger son Tejaswi Yadav has remained politically very active, fuelling speculations whether he would be handed over the baton. RJD source said that Prasad's wife Rabri Devi, however, favoured her eldest son Tej Pratap Yadav.
"There is nothing to suggest that the war of succession is unfolding in the Rabri-Lalu family. The first time Laluji went to jail, we immediately found the leader to replace him. If Laluji again goes to jail, we will again bank on the same leader (Rabri Devi)," a senior functionary of RJD had told ET.
The government later promulgated an ordinance to undo the apex court order, prompting opposition BJP to allege that it had been done to protect Congress member in Rajya Sabha Rashid Masood, who was recently convicted in a corruption case and also Prasad in case he is indicted in the fodder scam.
Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has, however, slammed the ordinance as "complete nonsense" which should be "torn up and thrown away," leaving its fate uncertain.
ONIKA JAISWAL
PGDM 1ST YEAR
2013-15 BATCH
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