What is fodder scam case? What does this mean for the former chief minister’s political career?
What fodder scam Case? What does this mean for the former chief minister’s political career?
the story So Far: A special CBI court convicted Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad in the 139.5 crore Doranda treasury case, the fifth against him in the fodder scam. This case is related to misappropriation of crores of rupees in public funds for animal husbandry. Mr Prasad has already been convicted in previous cases related to the scam and is out on bail due to ill health. The 73-year-old politician will be lodged in Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Central Jail after the court rejected his plea to be admitted to the government-run Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences. The RJD leader is suffering from several health issues including kidney problems.
now what happened?
Summary
A special CBI court convicted former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad in the 139.5 crore Doranda treasury case, the fifth case against him in the fodder scam. This case is related to misappropriation of crores of rupees in public funds for animal husbandry.
The fodder scam involved an elaborate network of Animal Husbandry Department officials in the districts of united South Bihar, in which an amount of 950 crores was withdrawn from the exchequer after submitting fake bills. The scam came to light in January 1996 when the then Deputy Commissioner Amit Khare raided the offices of the Animal Husbandry Department and seized documents which used to launder money by non-existent companies in the name of supply of fodder.
In July 1997, Mr. Prasad resigned as Chief Minister and surrendered before the CBI court and was sent to judicial custody. Beginning with the scam that unfolded at the Chaibasa treasury, where Mr Prasad, who was in charge of both the finance and animal husbandry departments, was sentenced to five years in prison, he was again charged from Deoghar for misappropriating ₹80 lakh and a half. Was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. Treasure. In 2018 he was again convicted for withdrawing money from Dumka treasury. Here he was sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment.
Mr. Prasad, who was present in the court, was immediately taken into custody. The quantum of his sentence is likely to be decided on February 21, when the arguments will be heard. Special CBI Judge SK Shashi convicted Mr. Prasad and 74 accused, and acquitted 24 others in a case of extortion money from a treasury set up for animal husbandry in 1995-1996. The court sentenced 34 accused to a maximum sentence of three years and fined ₹20,000 to ₹2 lakh. The CBI had examined a total of 575 witnesses in this case and filed charge sheets against 170 people.
The verdict took more than two decades, with the charges being framed in 2005; The prosecution evidence was closed in 2019 and the statements of the accused persons were recorded in 2020.
What is fodder scam?
fodder scam, or fodder scam As it is popularly known, it involved an elaborate network of officers in the districts of a united South Bihar, who used to withdraw an amount of 950 crores from the exchequer after submitting bogus bills. Illegal withdrawal of government funds, along with funds being shared by suppliers and government officials in the Animal Husbandry Department, predate Mr. Prasad’s rise as chief minister of undivided Bihar in 1990, but the fact remains that after taking over CM did it. A little to prevent rot. In the fodder scam, politicians and bureaucrats siphoned off crores of rupees on the pretext of buying livestock feed over a period of 20 years by submitting fake bills.
The scam came to light in January 1996 when the then Deputy Commissioner Amit Khare raided the offices of the Animal Husbandry Department and seized documents which used to launder money by non-existent companies in the name of supply of fodder. The factions that broke away from the Janata Dal under the leadership of Nitish Kumar and George Fernandes of the Samata Party also flagged the issue. In March 1996, after an FIR was registered, the Patna High Court directed the CBI to investigate the scam. The Supreme Court upheld the order. In July 1997, Mr. Prasad resigned as Chief Minister and surrendered before the CBI court and was sent to judicial custody. Initially, 63 cases were registered under sections 420 (forgery) and 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and section 13 (b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
With the CBI – and then Joint Director Upen Biswas – looking into the scam as ordered by the court, Mr. Prasad’s fallout came with his conviction in the fodder scam on September 30, 2013. Interestingly, another former chief minister, Jagannath Mishra, was convicted in the fodder scam cases. His sentence also came in 2013, but by then the formidable Mishra was no longer relevant in state politics. Thus the fodder scam became one of the earliest cases where sitting MLAs were convicted and forced to forfeit their assembly and parliamentary seats.
Are there other cases pending against the former Bihar Chief Minister?
Mr. Prasad has already been convicted in earlier cases related to the fodder scam and has served various sentences after his conviction. The conviction following the Supreme Court’s decision to bar convicted candidates from contesting elections for 11 years also disqualified them from contesting elections in the state assembly or parliament, thus making the political leader one of the most charismatic political leaders since independence. effectively ended his career. ,
With the scandal unfolding in the Chaibasa treasury, where Mr Prasad, who was in charge of both the finance and animal husbandry portfolios, was sentenced to five years in prison, and got bail, he was given three and a half years for misappropriating ₹80 lakh. Was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment. From Deoghar Treasury. Another was found guilty in 2018 for extorting ₹3.13 crore from the Dumka treasury where he was sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment. Another case of withdrawal of money from Bhagalpur treasury is pending in special CBI court. Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, one of the petitioners in the fodder scam case in the Patna High Court, said justice has finally been served to those who “pushed the state into darkness” for 15 years.
Will Lalu be jailed again?
Special CBI judge SK Shashi will sentence Lalu Prasad on February 21. Since Mr. Prasad has spent some time in jail, it will be considered by the special judge before deciding the quantum of punishment to be awarded to the former. Chief Minister. Despite the punishment, it seems like the end of the road for a man who had emerged as a force in Bihar by empowering the other backward classes of the state.
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