Fifth Fodder Scam Case verdict: Lalu Prasad Yadav sentenced to 5 years in prison, fined Rs 60 lakh

Fodder Scam Case verdict: A CBI court in Ranchi has sentenced RJD leader and Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav to 5 years' imprisonment in the fifth fodder scam case. The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 60 lakh on the political leader. 

Lalu Prasad Yadav's son and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said after the court's verdict, "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."

The three-time Chief Minister was found guilty in the fifth fodder scam case along with 39 others on February 15, 2022. The fifth fodder scam case involves illegal withdrawal of Rs 139.5 crore from the Doranda treasury, as part of the fodder scam that took place in 1995-96, when Lalu Prasad Yadav was Bihar's Chief Minister.

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: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav https://t.co/qMVqhhirkE pic.twitter.com/tKB3w8SBvw

— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2022

The 73-year-old leader is out on bail and is unwell. He was taken to the jail hospital in Ranchi on February 15 after the announcement of his conviction. He joined the latest court hearing pronouncing his quantum of punishment through video conferencing.

Fifth Fodder Scam Case: What is it about?

• The RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav was among the 99 people suspected initially in the fifth fodder scam case that involved withdrawal of 139.35 crore illegally in 1995-96 from the Doranda treasury.
• The case is considered the most important as it involved such a huge volume of money and the longest period of fake withdrawals from the Doranda treasury between 1990-91 and 1995-96. 
• The amount was withdrawn fraudulently in name of buying fodder, medicines and equipment for the animal husbandry department (AHD).
• A case was registered in connection with the same with the Doranda police station on February 17, 1996. The Patna High Court ordered CBI investigation into the case on March 11, 1996.
• The state government had approached the Supreme Court against the order but their plea was rejected.
• Lalu Yadav and 39 others were found guilty in the case by the CBI court in Ranchi on February 15, after which he was lodged in the Birsa Munda Central Jail and then shifted to state-run Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi.
• The former Bihar CM had secured bail after being sentenced to 14 years in prison in four cases related to Dumka, Deoghar and Chaibasa treasuries. 
• He was convicted for the first time in the first case in 2013 and then in the second case in 2017. 
• He was convicted in the third and fourth case in  January and March 2018 respectively.

Background

The CBI had registered a total of 64 cases in connection with the multi-crore fodder scam and Lalu was suspected of being involved in six of them. Out of the six cases, five cases were transferred to Jharkhand after bifurcation of Bihar and one was dealt in Patna.

One case linked to the fodder scam is pending before the CBI court in Patna. The case relates to illegal withdrawl of money from Bank-Bhagalpur treasury.

Overall, the fodder scam involving almost 950-crore fraudulent withdrawals involved large-scale corruption in which funds meant for animal fodder were embezzled from multiple government treasuries across Bihar. The Animal Husbandry Department had reportedly issued fake bills to facilitate the scam.

Lalu Prasad Yadav, who has been in jail since December 2017, has served most of his sentence at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Jharkhand due to ill health. He was brought to Delhi in January 2021 after worsening of his health condition.