Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Chief Minister of Bihar Lalu Prasad has landed in trouble as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has challenged his bail in alleged fodder scam in the Supreme Court. The SC will hear the matter on August 25.
The Jharkhand High Court had granted bail to the RJD president in four cases relating to multi-crore fodder scam (Dumka, Chaibasa, Doranda, Deogarh treasuries).
Lalu was convicted in the cases and his appeals lay pending in various courts. CBI has sought that the Supreme Court cancels Lalu’s bail. The 950-crore fodder scam relates to withdrawals made from multiple Government treasuries for cattle fodder.
Allegedly “fake” bills had been issued by the Animal Husbandry Department to facilitate this.
A special CBI court had held Lalu guilty in the Doranda treasury case related to the fodder scam in February this year.
In July, the CBI had filed a chargesheet against the RJD chief, his wife Rabri Devi and their son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav in the alleged land-for-jobs scam.
Investigating agencies have alleged that people were given employment in the Indian Railways from 2004 to 2009 - when Lalu was the Railway Minister - in return for land parcels being gifted or sold at cheap rates to the Yadav family.
Lalu and Tejashwi have been at the forefront of efforts to unite the Opposition and played a key role in organising the first mega meet of 16 Opposition parties that was held in Patna on 23 June. The parties were joined by 10 others in Bengaluru for a second meeting on 17-18 July, where the coalition named itself the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
