Fodder Scam verdict: JDU calls it a 'historic decision in Bihar politics'

Ranchi: The Ranchi Special CBI Court sentenced former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav to 3.5 years in jail and imposed Rs 5 lakh fine in fodder scam case. Judge Shivpal Singh pronounced the quantum of sentence via video conferencing.

Yadav, a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was convicted in a first fodder scam case in 2013 and sentenced to five years in jail.

He also added that they will approach the High Court for bail. "But they should remember that we still have High Court and Supreme Court to appeal against the judgement by CBI court", said Tejashwi.

The special judge also sent 15 other convicts in the case to prison for terms varying between three and six months and seven years under sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).

Lalu Yadav faces trial in three more cases relating to the fodder scam, locally called the "chara ghotala".

The scam is related to withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deogarh Treasury between 1990 and 1994 when Prasad was the chief minister of Bihar.

Lalu Prasad Yadav's advocate on Friday had filed a plea before Ranchi Special CBI Court demanding minimum punishment to the RJD Chief on health grounds. The Special CBI Court was supposed to sentence the convicts on January 3.

Lalu Prasad is at present cooling his heels in Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi.

There were 34 accused, out of which 11 died during the trial while one turned CBI approver and admitted to the crime. The case pertained to fraudulent withdrawal of ₹84.5 lakh from the Deoghar district (now in Jharkhand) treasury during the period 1991-94.