35 get jail term, fine in fodder scam case

The 35 accused, who were sentenced, included Junual Bhengraj, the then District Animal Husbandry Officer (DAHO), Chaibasa. He has been sentenced to six years RI with a fine of Rs 1.5 crore by the special court in Ranchi.

Krishna Mohan Prasad, the then Assistant Director (Planning), Animal Husbandry Department, Ranchi was sentenced to six years RI with a fine of Rs two crore, the CBI said in a statement today.

Others who were heavily fined included Krishan Mohan Prasad Sinha, then Budget and Accounts Officer, AHD, Patna. He was fined Rs 50 lakh besides awarded six years RI.

Gauri Shankar Prasad, the then DAHO, Chaibasa, was also fined Rs 75 lakh besides being awarded six years RI. In this case, chargesheet was filed against a total of 86 accused for fraudulent withdrawal of over Rs 10 crore from Chaibasa Treasury during the financial year 1980-1981 and  1990-1991 on the basis of forged budget allotment and sub-allotment letters, the CBI said.

It said false bills were raised without effecting the supply of poultry feed and veterinary medicines to Animal Husbandry Department. "Out of 86 chargesheeted accused, 20 accused persons died during trial, two accused persons were made approvers, one accused Pramod Kumar Jaiswal, (supplier) was convicted earlier after he pleaded guilty and two accused have been absconding.

"Thus, on the day of judgement, a total of 61 accused were facing trial. Out of 61, 58 accused have been convicted whereas remaining three accused, namely Om Prakash Chirania, Vijay Shanker Vohra and Ravi Sinha (all suppliers) have been acquitted on the ground of insufficient evidence," it said.

This is the 38th case in the scam disposed of so far in the trial by the special court in Ranchi.