CBI court sentences Lalu Yadav to 5 years jail, imposes Rs 60 lakh fine

A Special CBI Court has sentenced RJD Chief Lalu Prasad for a term of 5 years and imposed a fine of Rs 60 lakh  in  Rs 139 crore Fodder Scam case. Earlier, argument between Lalu's lawyer and CBI's lawyer took place on Minday in the CBI Court in Ranchi. Arguments were given from both the sides. All 38 convicted are pronounced with quantum of punishment individually through virtual mode by the special CBI Court. A special CBI court had convicted Lalu Prasad Yadav in the fifth and final case of Fodder Scam on 15th of this month. The case pertains to illegal and fraudulent withdrawal of more than Rs 139 crore from Doranda Treasury in Jharkhand when Lalu was Chief Minister of undivided Bihar. Lalu Prasad has already been convicted in four other Fodder scam Prabhat Kumar, Lalu’s l lawyer said that they will appeal in High Court against the verdict from CBI Court.

Speaking to reporters, after the CBI court verdict, RJD leader and son of Lalu, Tejashwi Yadav, said, "I will not comment on the court verdict. This is not the last judgment. High Court, Supreme court are there. We've challenged it in the High court and we are hopeful that the judgment of lower court will change in High Court." He also added, "Apart from fodder scam, it seems no scam has happened in the country. In Bihar, almost 80 scams have happened but where is CBI, ED, NIA? In the country there is only one scam and one leader. CBI has forgotten Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi."

The Rs 950-crore scam relates to the fraudulent withdrawal of public funds from government treasuries in various districts of undivided Bihar. Of the original 170 accused in the matter, 55 have died, 7 have become government witnesses, 2 have accepted the charges against them and six are absconding.