Fodder case verdict LIVE UPDATES: Lalu Yadav reaches special CBI court in Ranchi

Fodder scam verdict Live Updates: Lalu Yadav yesterday said, "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."

By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi | Updated: December 23, 2017 3:32 pm
Fodder case verdict LIVE UPDATES: The case pertains to fraudulent withdrawal of more than Rs 89 lakh from Deoghar Treasury between 1991 and 1994. (Express Photo by Alok Jain)

A Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Ranchi will on Saturday pronounce its verdict in the fodder scam case at 3 pm 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 20 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 case verdict LIVE UPDATES:

3:29 pm: Police in riot gear deployed outside the Ranchi court as verdict is to be delievered shortly.

3:25 pm: A tight security has been put in place outside the Ranchi court ahead of the verdict in nearly two decade old case pertaining to the fodder scam.

3:20 pm: In over two decades more than 10 people accused in the case have died, as the verdict comes out shortly.

3:18 pm: 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 case is under process for over two decades now.

3:10 pm: People have gathered in large numbers in anticipation of the verdict in Fodder scam outside the Ranchi Court.

2:59 pm: The judgement in the case is expected anytime now, as proceedings are on in the court with Lalu Yadav present with son Tejashwi Yadav.

2:45 pm: Lalu Prasad Yadav reaches special CBI court in Ranchi ahead of verdict in the case. Son Tejashwi Yadav is also accompanying him.

2:30 pm: Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan slams Lalu Prasad Yadav for talking to media about his “innocence” in the fodder case. “Whether he is acquitted or convicted, is for the court to decide. We do comment on it, but he is lecturing on the TV since morning even though the judgement is yet to be delivered,” PTI quoted Paswan as saying.

The Union Minister also hit out at Yadav alleging his involvement in corruption as Union Railway minister. “He used to be a big-shot in the Railways but what did he do there? He just made (money),” Paswan alleged.

1:10 pm: In another jolt to Lalu’s family, the Enforcement Directorate on Saturday filed chargesheet against Lalu’s daughter Misa Bharti in a Delhi court in connection with a money laundering case. READ MORE

12:35 pm: The Supreme Court in May had ordered a trial against Lalu Prasad, and directed that it be complete within 9 months, after it allowed a CBI plea which opposed the dropping of charges against the former chief minister.

11:40 am: “The judgment will come at 3 pm,” ANI quotes Lalu Prasad Yadav’s lawyer Prabhat Kumar as saying.

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.

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

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)

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