Lalu to stand trial in fodder scam cases; enough evidence, says SC
08 May, New Delhi
In a major setback to RJD chief Lalu Prasd, the Supreme Court today ordered that the criminal conspiracy charges against him in the fodder scam should be initiated and trial completed within nine months.
Finding enough evidence to invoke the criminal conspiracy charges, the apex court allowed the appeal filed by the CBI opposing the dropping of criminal conspiracy charges against the former Bihar Chief Minister by the Jharkhand High Court in the fodder scam cases.
The court said he will stand separate trial in all the four fodder scam cases.The SC judgement has also come as an embarrassment for the Nitish Kumar-led Government in Bihar of which RJD is a partner. The BJP welcomed the judgement saying that the former Chief Minister will now have to face the consequences of his acts.
A Bench, headed by Justice Arun Mishra, passed the order after hearing from the CBI and from Lalu Prasad.The CBI had registered a number of cases against him and others for embezzlement of funds to the tune of Rs 900-crore on the pretext of buying fodder for the cattle.
Another former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra and former State Chief Secretary Sajal Chakraborty are also accused in the case.In 2014, the Jharkhand High Court had given relief to the former Bihar Chief Minister and others by dropping the charges of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and prevention of corruption.
The High Court had quashed the cases on the grounds that a person convicted in one case could not be tried in similar cases based on same witnesses and evidence.However, the CBI had gone on appeal in the Supreme Court and contended before it that though the cases had arisen from fodder scam, they were different in nature as different amounts were involved from different treasuries.
There are four cases where the same charges are made out against Prasad and others pertaining to alleged illegal withdrawal from the Government treasury of Bihar.”We have held that for each offence, there will be a separate trial,”Justice Misra said.