Fodder scam verdict Live Updates: I have faith that I will get justice, says Lalu Yadav

Fodder scam verdict Live Updates: I have faith that I will get justice, says Lalu Prasad Yadav. Express file photo of Lalu Prasad Yadav

A Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Ranchi will on Saturday pronounce its verdict in the fodder scam case in which former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav is an accused. The case pertains to fraudulent withdrawal of more than Rs 89 lakh from Deoghar Treasury between 1991 and 1994.

Other than Lalu,  former Bihar chief minister, Jagannath Mishra and 19 others are also accused in the case.  The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief has already expressed hope that he would get a clean chit in the fodder scam case like other accused in the 2G and Adarsh scam.

“We trust and respect the judiciary. We will not let BJP’s conspiracies work, Jaisa 2G mein hua, Ashok Chavan ka hua, vaisa hi humara bhi hoga,” Prasad told news agency ANI. He also claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments since the time of Atal Bihari Vajpayee have been harassing him and his family by misusing the CBI for the past 25 years.

Fodder scam verdict Live Updates:

10:55 am: BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha expresses hope that Lalu, who is a “friend of the nation, hero of masses & favorite of downtrodden”, gets the most desired and deserving justice.

Hope wish & pray that the friend of the nation, hero of masses & favorite of downtrodden, one & only one Lalu Yadav gets the most desired & deserving justice. Satyamev Jayate??!!. God Bless!

— Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) December 23, 2017

10:45 am: Lalu Prasad Yadav to appear before special CBI Court in Ranchi shortly.

Lalu Prasad Yadav to appear before special CBI Court in Ranchi shortly #FodderScamVerdict pic.twitter.com/J6vIkTDB3h

— ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2017

10:40 am: “I have faith that I will get justice. Whatever be the judgment, I appeal to people of Bihar to maintain law and order,” ANI quoted Lalu as saying.

10:35 am: The fodder scam started with small-scale embezzlement done by low level government employees to show transfer of some fake funds. When it grew, it also started to include businesses and politicians, increasing the amount of money embezzled. The then CAG, TN Chaturvedi, noticed delays in submissions of monthly accounts of the Bihar treasury and warned of possible laundering of funds in 1985. The Animal Husbandry department had made fraudulent withdrawals of big bills of Rs 1,000 crore in the name of medicines during the chief ministerial tenure of Lalu Yadav. However, the raid only happened in 1996.

10:15 am: Lalu’s son Tejashwi Yadav expresses hope that verdict in the case will be in their favour. “We trust the judiciary and hope the verdict will be in our favour. Just like BJP propaganda was busted in 2G case and Adarsh scam, similar will happen now,” ANI quoted Tejashwi as saying.

9:50 am: The other accused in the case include former Bihar minister Vidya Sagar Nishad, former Public Accounts Committee chairmen Jagdish Sharma and Dhruv Bhagat. A chargesheet was filed against 38 persons on October 27, 1997.

9:45 am: Lalu, accompanied by younger son Tejaswi Yadav, on Friday arrived in Ranchi to present himself before the special CBI Judge Shiv Pal Singh. Besides the two ex-chief ministers, former MP R K Rana, three former IAS officers – Phoolchand Singh, Beck Julius and Mahesh Prasad – are also among the 22 accused in the case.

(With agency inputs)