RJD Lalu Prasad convicted in fodder scam case (Lead)

Ranchi Jan 24 (IANS) A special court on Wednesday convicted former Bihar Chief Ministers Lalu Prasad and Jagannath Mishra and former Jharkhand Chief Secretary Sajjal Chkravarty in another fodder scam case.

The special Central Bureau of Investigation court of Judge S.S. Prasad pronounced the judgment related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 33.67 crore from the Chaibasa Treasury in 1992-1993.

It was alleged that the Rs 33.67-crore was withdrawn on fake allotment letters.

The special CBI court convicted 50 people and acquitted six in this case.

This is third case in the fodder scam in which Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad has been convicted. For Jagnnath Mishra and Sajjal Chkravarty this is the second fodder scam case in which they have been convicted.

There were total 76 accused in the case and 15 died during trial while five turned CBI approver.

Talking to reporters Lalu Prasad s son Tejashwi Yadav said "This is not the final court. We will move High Court."

Lalu Prasad is lodged in the Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi as he was convicted on December 23 2017 and awarded three and half years of imprisonment on January 6 in the fodder scam related to the Deoghar Treasury.

The RJD chief was convicted in the fodder scam case for the first time in 2013 and he was awarded five years imprisonment.

The multi-million fodder scam case surfaced in the undivided Bihar in the 1990s.

A Patna High Court directive ordered the case probe to be handed over to the CBI. The allegation against Lalu Prasad is that he ignored the scam reports in his capacity as the Finance Minister.

--IANS
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