Lalu’s well-wishers contacted me, will do what law says: Judge

RANCHI: Special CBI court judge Shiv Pal Singh, who convicted Lalu Prasad in the second fodder scam case last month, said on Thursday that he was approached by the latter's wellwishers. He made this remark while hearing arguments on the quantum of sentence for the fodder scam convicts, but didn't give details.
"Laluji, aapke shubhchintakon ke bahut se phone calls aa rahey hain, lekin nishchint rahiye, karunga wohi jo kanoon kahta hai (Laluji, a lot of your well-wishers are calling me up. But rest assured, I will do what the law says)," a close aide of Lalu who was present in the court quoted the judge as having said. As soon as the judge said this, Lalu responded saying, "If this was the case, it is wrong."

He added that he would ask his supporters not to do so. Though there was no discussion on Lalu's sentencing, the court is learnt to have given him ample opportunity to talk his heart out. Known for his witty remarks, the RJD chief took the opportunity to make the sombre mood of the convicts lighter. Lalu's aide told TOI that once the RJD chief was produced before the court along with the other 15 convicts, he sought lenient punishment for his party colleagues.

"Huzoor RJD netaon ko maaf kar dia jaye, wo sabhi rajneetik bayanbaji kar rahe they, uske liye party unpar karwayi karegi (Sir, please pardon the RJD leaders, they were making only political statements and the party will take action against them)," he told the judge. Lalu told the judge the jail was very cold and his matter should be decided fast.

The judge is learned to have told him to learn new skills like playing tabla during his stay in Jharkhand and make himself warm. Lalu also said that he is a bona fide member of the Supreme Court Bar Association and Bar Council of the Patna HC. "I too understand law as I have obtained a degree."

On Thursday, the judge heard the counsel of the first five convicts. Lalu is the sixth convict in the alphabetical order. The judge said he would take a final decision on whether to hear the convict and his counsel in person or through video-conferencing on Friday after Lalu prayed for personal appearance. "Hujoor wahan thik se sunai nahi deta hai (Sir, I can't hear properly in video conference)," the RJD chief said, when the judge announced further hearing through video conference.

Lalu's counsel Prabhat Kumar said the announcement of the sentence is unlikely on Friday. "The court has completed hearing the arguments of five convicts and 11 of them are still left. Since the proceedings would begin in the second half, there are less chances of the arguments being completed and the verdict announced on the same day," he said.

Counsel of the convicts prayed to the court to be lenient with their clients saying that they are all senior citizens and suffering from multiple health conditions. "Most of them have already served a term in the jail and have also been facing trial in court for more than two decades," one of the counsel said.

Sources said the court heard the convicts individually too and on request of former IAS officer Beck Julius and Mahesh Prasad, directed the jail authorities to lodge them in the upper grade cells within the Birsa Munda central Jail in Hotwar. Lalu is charged under Sections 420 and 120B of the IPC and Section 13 (1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, warranting a sentence of 2-7 years.