M A I N   N E W S

Lalu guilty in fodder scam, jailed
* Faces disqualification as MP
* Bihar ex-CM Mishra among 45 convicted
* Sentencing on Oct 3

Ranchi, September 30
Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad today suffered a major blow when a special CBI court convicted him in a 17-year-old fodder scam case of corruption that can disqualify him from Parliament and keep him out of electoral arena for at least six years.

Also convicted was a sitting JD -U MP from Jahanabad Jagadish Sharma. Another 43 accused, including former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra, five politicians and four IAS officers, were also convicted by the court of Pravas Kumar Singh for fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore from Chaibasa treasury.

The court fixed October 3 for pronouncement of sentence against Yadav, Mishra and others. While the BJP and the JD-U, Lalu’s rivals in Bihar, welcomed the judgement, its ally the Congress merely said the law has taken its course. JD-U leader and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, a one time associate of Lalu, declined to comment on the judgment.

The RJD said it would challenge the judgment. Accompanied by his son Tejaswi to the court, 65-year-old Prasad declined to react to the judgement. He appeared calm while his car sped away to the Birsa Munda Central Jail located on the outskirts of Ranchi straight from the court.

The court sentenced IAS officer K Arumugam, former Bihar AHD and Labour Minister Vidya Sagar Nishad and former MLA Dhruv Bhagat and five fodder suppliers for up to three years.

Earlier, Prasad, who arrived in the court by a white Ambassador car, appeared relaxed and waved to his party supporters. He sat in the second row in the court room as the judge began reading out the judgment against him. All the 45 convicted persons were found guilty under IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of a valuable security/will or authority to make or transfer any valuable security/receive any money), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 477A (fraudulently destroying or defacing, or attempting to destroy or deface, or secreting a will). They were also found guilty under the Prevention of Corruption Act. — PTI

Fodder files

prominent players

Lalu Prasad, Jagannath Mishra (ex-CM), Jagdish Sharma, JD(U) MP, Dr RK Rana (ex-MP), Vidya Sagar Nishad(ex-minister) Dhruv Bhagat (ex-MLA, BJP)

17-yr-old scam

• Jan 1996: Fodder scam surfaces after DC Chaibasa Amit Khare finds bungling of funds in the name of supplying fodder in animal husbandry department.
• March 1996: Patna HC directs CBI to probe the scam. CBI registers FIR in Chaibasa treasury case.
• June 1997: CBI files chargesheet and makes Lalu accused.
• July 1997: Lalu surrenders before CBI court, sent to judicial custody.
• Oct 2001: SC transfers fodder scam cases to Jharkhand after the creation of new state.
• Feb 2002: Trial begins in Ranchi special CBI court.
• Aug 2013: SC rejects Lalu's plea seeking transfer of the trial court judge hearing the case.
• Sept 30: Lalu, Mishra and 43 others convicted

What they say

If you do wrong you will be punished definitely.... Law is equal for everybody.. He is paying for his greed
— Sharad Yadav, JD-U chief