Lalu Prasad convicted in Fodder Scam

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s political career could see an eclipse, as he has been convicted in a case related to fodder scam. He may face immediate disqualification as a Lok Sabha member. Soon after the verdict, Lalu Yadav was sent to Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi where he will get the sentencing via video-conferencing.

It was a huge blow to former Bihar Chief Minister after a special CBI court in Ranchi on Monday convicted him along with 44 others in a case related to the Rs. 950 crore fodder scam. The verdict came after 17 years the case was filed. The quantum of sentence will be announced on October 3.

Lalu has been convicted of corruption, criminal conspiracy and cheating. After the judgment, the RJD president will not be allowed to contest elections unless a higher court reserves the conviction.

Lau was accused along with 44 others including former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra and JD(U) MP Jagdish Sharma, of fraudulently withdrawing Rs. 37.7 crore from the Chaibasa district treasury, then in undivided Bihar and now a part of Jharkhand.

The judgment came just days after the Congress-led UPA government hurriedly brought an ordinance to overturn the Supreme Court’s ruling on the disqualification of tainted MPs and elected representatives if convicted in the court, to protect Mr Prasad. The Ordinance is now meaningless after Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi termed it as “complete nonsense”. Lalu’s RJD is one of the allied of the Congress.