Fodder scam: SC notice on CBI’s plea challenging bail granted to Lalu Prasad

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine pleas filed by the CBI challenging two orders of the Jharkhand High Court granting bail to RJD president Lalu Prasad in the multi-crore rupees fodder scam.

A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and B R Gavai issued notices to Prasad on the pleas filed by the CBI challenging April 17, 2021, and October 9, 2020 orders of the high court.

Additional Solicitor General S V Raju appeared for the CBI.

The High Court on April 17, 2021, had granted bail to Prasad in the Dumka treasury case of the multi-crore rupees fodder scam on completion of half the sentence period, paving way for his release from jail.

While on October 9, 2020, the high court had granted bail to Prasad in a fodder scam case involving the illegal withdrawal of funds from the Chaibasa treasury.

While sentencing Prasad in the Dumka case on March 24, 2018, to 14 years in jail, a special CBI court of Ranchi had also imposed a fine of Rs 60 lakh, Rs 30 lakh each under IPC sections and corruption Act.

The case is related to the fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 3.13 crore from the Dumka treasury in the early 1990s.

Prasad had acquired bail in three other cases of the fodder scam-Deogarh, Chaibasa, and Ranchi’s Doranda treasury cases- and was waiting for judgment in the Dumka case.

The Rs 950 crore fodder scam took place in the Animal Husbandry department in undivided Bihar when Prasad was the chief minister.

Prasad is in Ranchi jail after his sentence in Rs 89 lakh Deogarh treasury case on December 23, 2017.