NEW DELHI: The sentencing of former chief minister of Bihar
Lalu Prasad will be announced at 2 pm, tomorrow, via video conferencing, reported ANI.
The hearing over quantum of sentence for the 5 accused, including Lalu Prasad, was completed at Ranchi Special CBI Court today. Prasad had appeared before special CBI judge Shiv Pal Singh from Birsa Munda central jail where he is lodged.
The court pronounced the sentence after postponing it twice this week.
Judge Shivpal Singh, who is presiding over the case, said yesterday that he "got phone calls from Lalu's men". He didn't specify what was said to him in these phone calls "by Lalu's men".
"I got many references for you but don't worry, I will follow only law", he reportedly told Lalu.
The CBI court had on December 23 convicted the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and 15 others in a case related to the fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 84.5 lakh from the Deoghar district treasury in Bihar between 1990 and 1994. Lalu was convicted in the first of five
fodder scam cases, in 2013, and for that was sentenced to five years in prison.
Lalu's lawyer had hoped for minimum punishment in this second case, on account of the RJD chief's age.
"Lalu is 70 years old and suffering from many diseases. We will seek minimum punishment for him", he said earlier this week.
The former chief minister of Bihar is currently lodged in Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi.
The trial in this second of five fodders scam cases against Lalu was completed on December 13. Ten days later, the court acquitted another former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra and five others in the scam case.
There were 34 accused, of which 11 died during the trial, while one turned CBI approver and admitted to the crime. The 16 convicted persons include three former IAS officials Phoolchand Mandal, Beck Julius and Mahesh Prasad.
