Lalu Prasad Yadav Sentenced to Five Years' Jail in Doranda Fodder Scam Case
The Wire Staff
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Ranchi: A special CBI court on Monday sentenced RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav to five years in prison and slapped a fine of Rs 60 lakh on him in connection with the Rs 139 crore Doranda treasury embezzlement case of the fodder scam.
The court pronounced the sentence after virtually hearing arguments on the quantum of sentence.
Also read: Explained: What Is the Fodder Scam, In Which Lalu Prasad Yadav Has Been Convicted?
According to Hindustan Times, on Tuesday, special judge S.K. Shashi held Yadav and 74 others guilty in the fifth fodder scam case, pertaining to the illegal withdrawal of Rs 139.35 crore from the Doranda treasury in Jharkhand capital Ranchi
Prabhat Kumar, Lalu’s lawyer, said they would challenge the judgement in the high court.
“We will move the high court once we get a copy of the order. We will also apply for bail which we are confident of getting soon as he has already served more than half of the time in jail which is a ground for bail under CrPC. He was in jail from December 2017 to April 2021 when he secured bail in the Dumka treasury case,” said Kumar.
Also Read: Explained: What Is the Fodder Scam, In Which Lalu Prasad Yadav Has Been Convicted?
The Indian Express reported, the court had earlier awarded three years of maximum punishment to 34 accused and fined them in the range of Rs 20,000 to Rs 2 lakh. The sentencing of 41 accused, including Lalu Prasad, was awarded Monday through video conferencing. The maximum fine was Rs 2 crore, as per the lawyers.
The Doranda case was the final one pending in Jharkhand against the former Bihar chief minister.
After his conviction in the case on February 15, the ailing 73-year old former Bihar chief minister was lodged in the Birsa Munda Central Jail and then shifted to state-run Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi.
The fodder scam case pertains to the fraudulent withdrawal of money worth Rs 930 crore by producing fake claims in the animal husbandry department.
(With inputs from PTI)
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