In a fifth case related to the fodder scam, Lalu Yadav was sentenced to five years in prison and fined Rs 60 lakh today.
Last Thursday, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader was acquitted in the case. The case includes the illicit removal of 139.5 crores from the Doranda treasury as part of the fodder scandal that occurred in the 1990s when Lalu Yadav was Bihar’s Chief Minister.
The three-time Chief Minister, along with 39 others, was found guilty.
मैं उनसे लड़ता हूँ जो लोगों को आपस में लड़ाते है
वो हरा नहीं सकते इसलिए साजिशों से फँसाते हैAdvertisementना डरा ना झुका, सदा लड़ा हूँ, लड़ता ही रहूँगा
लड़ाकों का संघर्ष कायरों को ना समझ आया है ना आएगा।— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) February 21, 2022
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Lalu Yadav, who is out on bail and ill, participated in the court session through video conference.
The 73-year-old commander was transferred to Ranchi’s prison hospital on February 15, after he was convicted. He might be freed shortly after serving more than three and a half years in prison.
Another case related to fodder fraud is now sitting before the CBI court in Patna. The lawsuit involves an unauthorized removal of funds from the Bank-Bhagalpur treasury.
The 950-crore fodder scandal involves widespread corruption, with monies intended for animal feed embezzled from numerous government treasuries across Bihar. To support the scheme, the Animal Husbandry Department reportedly produced bogus bills.
When questioned about Lalu Yadav’s punishment, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar distanced himself from the situation. They also came to me after the complaint was filed. Some of them who did file suits are still with him now, according to Nitish Kumar, who also refused to be a petitioner.
Lalu Yadav has filed four appeals against his conviction.
Lalu Yadav has been imprisoned since December 2017 and has spent most of his time in the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Jharkhand. After his condition deteriorated, he was sent to Delhi in January of last year.