The Standing Committee of the Patna High Court headed by Acting Chief Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad has recommended to the Bihar government that the pension of Paswan be withheld as corruption charges against him were found to be true.

In December 2006 Paswan had acquitted Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi in the infamous Rs 46 lakh-disproportionate assets  case. He is currently in the eye of a storm for having earlier granted bail to an accused in a different case of Danapur police station (Case No. 128-06) after reportedly accepting a hefty sum as bribe.

Investigations began when the informant Anil Kumar lodged a complaint case of bribery against Paswan. The inquiry was conducted by a district judge of Patna civil court, followed by yet another probe by the inspecting judge of the High Court. The report was eventually submitted to the Standing Committee of the Patna High Court headed by Acting Chief Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad.

The acting CJ, taking cognizance of the findings, recommended to the state government that steps be initiated under Rule 43-B of the Bihar Pension Act to withhold the pension of Muni Lal Paswan.

Paswan had come in for sharp criticism when he had let off Lalu-Rabri duo, clearing them of all the charges of amassing wealth disproportionate to their known source of income.

Incidentally, the Patna High Court, on Thursday, had admitted the appeal of Bihar Government, which had challenged Lalu-Rabri’s acquittal in the DA case.