After 16 years, Lalu aide told to furnish travel bills

Kapoor had gone underground once the fodder scam surfaced in 1996. He remained ‘untraced’ throughout the CBI probe. It was believed that once the investigating sleuths could get hold of him, many secrets of Lalu could tumble out of his closet. The CBI never succeeded in apprehending him  though RJD leaders are still in touch with Lalu’s Man Friday.

The state government issued an advertisement in a local daily asking Kapoor to submit travel bills for his visit to Singapore and Bangkok (from 25-7-95 to 1-8-95), and then another trip to the US and UK (from 6-10-95 to 21-10-95). The notice, issued by deputy secretary of the Cabinet Coordination Department Ram Udgar Mahato, said if Kapoor failed to submit the bills, the government would be free to take further action in this regard.

“It’s a routine exercise to adjust the pending advance. It is related to the official journey by Kapoor, the private secretary of the then CM Lalu Prasad. The travel advance was shown pending in the audit report,” said Ravikant, Principal Secretary to the Cabinet Coordination Department.   

Meanwhile, Kapoor, from an undisclosed place, said he had replied to the notice and would submit the bills to the government shortly.

Lalu, Mishra in CBI court

Lalu and former chief minister Dr Jagannath Mishra on Monday appeared before the CBI court in Patn. The case is related to the fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 47 lakh from Banka and Bhagalpur treasuries in 1995-96 for the purchase of fodder.

Designated CBI judge BK Jain granted the duo three-week time and said he would frame charges against them on September 21.