Today, a Special Court will announce the quantum of sentence for Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and 15 others. On The 23rd of December, a Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Court convicted the former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu and 15 others in the then Bihar Government.
They are convicted in a multi million rupee Fodder Scam. On Tuesday, Lalu’s lawyer explained they would plead for the minimum punishment. He was quoted saying, “Lalu is 70 years old and suffering from many diseases. We will seek minimum punishment for him.”
According to the lawyers, Lalu Prasad is likely to be awarded a sentence of three to seven years imprisonment. If Lalu is given a three year sentence he can get bail soon after the sentencing.
Superstitions people believe 3 is an unlucky number for Lalu. The RJD Chief was first convicted in the Fodder Scam Case on the 30th of September 2013 and on the 3rd of October 2013, Lalu was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment. At present, Lalu is being held at the Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi.
During the hearing in December, the CBI Court acquitted Jagannath Mishra and 5 others. The case accuses Lalu and 15 others of fraudulent withdrawal of Rs. 84.5 lakh from the Deoghar District Treasury. Lalu served as Chief Minister of undivided Bihar from 1990 to 1997 and the withdrawals were made during 1990 and 1994.
Many of the RJD members have claimed the CBI investigation was botched. Lalu’s son Tejawi Yadav said, “We will challenge judgment in High Court. We have already appealed against conviction in Chaibasa treasury case in HC. Bail procedure would take place only after HC’s opening. Nitish Kumar, BJP kept trying to malign Lalu Ji.”
A total of 34 were originally accused in the Fodder Scam. Among them, 11 passed away during the trial. One accused turned CBI approver and confessed to the crime. Former IAS officers Phoolchand Mandal, Beck Julius and Mahesh Prasad are among the 16 convicted in the Fodder Scam. Lalu Prasad is facing trial in three more cases related to the Fodder Scam.
