Fodder Scam Case: RJD Chief Lalu Yadav Granted Bail By Jharkhand HC. ‘Will Be Released Soon,’ Says Lawyer

In February, Yadav was sentenced to five years imprisonment in the fifth fodder scam case and a fine of Rs 60 lakh was imposed on him. 

The Jharkhand High Court had given one week's time to CBI to file its reply to the bail application filed by Lalu Prasad Yadav.

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New Delhi: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav was on Friday granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court in the matter of Rs 139.35-crore illegal withdrawal from Doranda Treasury.

"He has been granted bail on the uniform yardstick of half custody and health issues, he will be released soon. He will have to deposit Rs 1 lakh surety amount and Rs 10 lakh as fine," his lawyer informed, as quoted by news agency ANI.

Previously, the Jharkhand High Court, at the request of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), had given one week's time to the central agency to file its reply to the bail application filed by Lalu Prasad Yadav.

The court heard the matter today.

RJD Chief Lalu Yadav granted bail by Jharkhand HC in a case related to Fodder scam

He has been granted bail on the uniform yardstick of half custody & health issues; he will be released soon. He will have to deposit Rs 1 lakh surety amount & Rs 10 lakh as fine, says his lawyer. pic.twitter.com/TNb2iBs6VC

— ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2022

Lalu Yadav's lawyer Prabhat Kumar had alleged that the CBI didn't file a counter-affidavit as required on March 11 intentionally so that "Lalu Ji stays in prison longer", ANI reported. 

The former Bihar chief minister has already secured bail in four cases related to Dumka, Deoghar, and Chaibasa treasuries.

Fifth Fodder Scam Case

Lalu Prasad Yadav was found guilty of illegal withdrawals to the tune of Rs 139.35 crore from the Doranda treasury by a special CBI court in Jharkhand's Ranchi. 

It pertains to the Rs 950-crore fodder scam involving fraudulent withdrawal of public funds from government treasuries in various districts of undivided Bihar.

The RJD chief was declared guilty on February 15. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 60 lakh was imposed on him. 

Of the 99 accused in the case, 24 were acquitted while three-year jail terms were pronounced for the 46 accused. 

The scam came to light in January 1996 after a raid conducted by Deputy Commissioner of Chaibasa Amit Khare at the Animal Husbandry Department. The CBI was roped in by the Patna High Court in March 1996 after increasing pressure to investigate the case. 

The CBI registered an FIR in the case at a time when Bihar was still undivided. Lalu Prasad Yadav was named an accused in the case for the first time in the charge sheet filed by the CBI in June 1997.

(With Agency Inputs)