In a severe setback to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad, the Jharkhand High Court on Monday dismissed his petition which had sought transfer of fodder scam case (RC 20 A/96) from the CBI court to another special court.
Lalu, who along with former Bihar Chief Minister Dr Jagannath Mishra, is an accused in the case, had last week filed a petition in the high court with a plea that since the CBI judge PK Singh was a relative of the JD (U) minister PK Sahi in Bihar, he (Lalu) may not get justice.
Although the JD (U) minister later denied his relationship with the judge, Lalu annexed the lineage of the judge in his petition to buttress his point.
Eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani pleaded on behalf of Lalu on June 28, but the single judge bench of Justice RR Prasad reserved his order and fixed July 1 for the judgement.
With decks now cleared, the CBI court will pronounce its verdict on July 15 in the much-publicised fodder scam, which came to light in 1996 involving embezzlement of fund to the tune of Rs 900 crore.
Out of the 53 fodder scam cases, judgements have been delivered in 44 cases leading to conviction of the accused.
In the remaining nine cases, Lalu is accused in five, which are under different stages of trial.
The CBI judge is slated to pronounce judgment in the case – RC 20 A/96 pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.70 crore from Chaibasa treasury.
The accused include two former CMs, six retired IAS officers, one MP and 33 others. It was alleged that the accused, including Animal Husbandry department officials, in connivance with the suppliers, cheated department by making supply of fodder, medicine and other articles only on paper.
The politicians and bureaucrats were alleged to have received kickbacks, and, in turn, protected the scamsters.
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