Lalu Prasad gives fodder scam case hearing a miss

RANCHI: The CBI on Monday continued its argument for a brief period in the fodder scam case related to fraudulent withdrawals of money from the Dumka treasury after the judge had to go on leave.
RJD supremo Lalu Prasad who used to be present in court during the arguments whenever the hearing is not conducted via video-conferencing was conspicuous by his absence.

He had even argued in the court as his own lawyer in the ongoing fodder scam cases.

For the Dumka treasury case too, Lalu used to attend each and every argument session after the prosecution witnesses deposed before the special CBI judge.

In the Doranda treasury fodder scam case, the former Bihar chief minister had appeared in court every day for the hearing.

Lalu's lawyer Anant Kumar said the hearing in the Doranda treasury case on Monday was postponed as special CBI judge Pradeep Kumar has gone on leave..

Kumar informed that the next date for hearing the case has been fixed on March 8.

The defence lawyers have already completed their arguments in the Dumka treasury case and the CBI was expected to complete its part soon too. The prosecution has been presenting its arguments in the case for the past four days.

The RJD chief was also denied bail by the Jharkhand high court in the Deoghar treasury fodder scam case. The bail plea pertains to the 3.5 years jail term the special CBI court pronounced on January 6 s related to the fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar treasury.

He is likely to move the Supreme Court for his bail.