VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, Feb. 13: The anxious wait for the RJD president and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav has started as the special CBI court (Fodder scam) of Sudhanshu Kumar Shashi in Ranchi is set to deliver judgment in one of the cases of the fodder scam.
Lalu Prasad Yadav reached Ranchi on Sunday where he was greeted by party workers and leaders.
Lalu is among the accused of the infamous fodder scam case RC 47 A/96 2 where a fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 139.35 crore was made from Doranda treasury of Ranchi during 1995-96. Lalu was the chief minister of Bihar during that period. The court is set to deliver judgment on February 15.
“The CBI had booked 170 persons. But the number of accused facing trial is 99 because many died, some turned approvers, some are absconding or pleaded guilty,” said a law officer of the CBI.
Among the accused 55 died, eight became approvers, six are absconding and two pleaded guilty. The CBI produced 575 witnesses and bulk of documents as evidence.
Serially convicted in four different fodder scam cases this is the fifth case in which the judgment is awaited. Lalu Prasad Yadav is currently on bail. The CBI alleged him as the kingpin of Rs 950 crore fodder scam case that rocked Bihar
During the trial, the CBI prosecutor BMP Singh had confronted him with over three dozen questions related to his involvement in patronizing the scam when he was the CM of Bihar during 1990 to 1997. He was also holding the finance department.
For instance, Lalu Prasad Yadav was confronted whether or not he was aware of the report of the deputy AG in April 1990 that had pointed out several anomalies.
The AG report had pointed out fictitious transportation of cattle in vehicles like cars, scooters, and auto-rickshaws.
The CBI alleged that Lalu Prasad Yadav in criminal conspiracy with co-accused Raja Ram (now dead) termed these as inadvertent errors and directed to correct the registration number.
The CBI said that two MLCs of Bihar assembly Kripa Nath Pathak and Satrughan Prasad Singh in March 1991 had raised the issue of alleged fodder scam in the assembly. As a CM he gave assurance of action but did not order any inquiry. The CBI said that Lalu Prasad Yadav tried to prevent police or CBI inquiry by referring the case to the Public Accounts Committee of the assembly.
