On January 6, 2018, a special CBI Court sentenced the veteran politician, Lalu Prasad Yadav to imprisonment for a term of 3.5 years with a penalty of Rs 10 Lakhs, in the case of fodder scam.
Yadav along with other polticians, namely Phool Chand, Mahesh Prasad, Bake Julius, Sunil Kumar, Sushil Kumar, Sudhir Kumar and Raja RamĀ had been convicted in the case of embezzlementĀ of more than Rs. 89 lakh in government funds.Ā On September 30, 2013, Yadav, Jagannath Mishra and several others were also convicted in another case pertaining to illegal withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore from the Chaibasa Treasury in the early 1990s. Ā He is alsoĀ facing three other fodder scam cases relating to the illegal withdrawal of Rs 3.97 crore from the Dumka Treasury, Rs 36 crore from the Chaibasa Treasury and Rs 184 crore from the Doranda Treasury.
The Court, on the previous day, had concluded the arguments relating to the quantum of sentence against Prasad in connection with the illegal withdrawals between 1990 and 1994, while he was serving as the cheif minister of Bihar. It also concluded the arguments relating to the quantum of sentence of the other accused.
The Hon’ble Judge of the Special CBI Court had also expressed his opinion that Mr. Prasad should be shifted to an open jail to serve the period of his sentence.
Soon after the declaration of the sentence, RJD leador, Tejaswi Yadav gave a statement that they will challenge the said judgment in the High Court.
