The Bihar politician Lalu Prasad Yadav who was convicted in the second Fodder Scam case received a jail term of three and a half years. Yadav is convicted of embezzling more than Rs. 89 lakh from Government funds. The Special CBI Court also slapped a fine of Rs. 5 lakh on Lalu Prasad. After the verdict was given Yadav’s son Tejashwi Yadav held an emergency strategy meet and said, “The judiciary has performed its duty. We will go to the High Court after studying the sentence and apply for a bail.”
Lalu Prasad Yadav received his sentence via video conference while being held at the Birsa Munda Jail in Ranchi. Yadav and his lawyer requested the Court to give him the shortest jail term of 3 years in view of his health. If Yadav was given 3 years imprisonment he would be eligible for bail immediately.
Yadav claims his conviction is purely based on political vendetta. After the sentence was announced Yadav tweeted, “Rather than practising BJP’s Simple Rule – “Follow us or We will Fix you”. I will die happily fixing myself for Social justice, harmony & equality.”
On the 23rd of December, a Special CBI Court convicted Yadav of criminal conspiracy, forgery and using forged documents. The case was registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Yadav is accused of making fraudulent withdrawals from the Deoghar District Treasury between 1990 and 1994.
Yadav’s son said, “He was chosen (by the people) and he’s in jail… those who had not been elected is now in Government… Amit Shah was scared of Lalu-ji.”
Senior BJP Leader Shahnawaz Hussain was quoted saying, “Bihar’s people have finally got justice. The law is the same for everyone… a message has been sent that nobody is bigger than law.”
The sentencing was expected last week but was deferred twice. The Fodder Scam relates to embezzlement of Rs. 970 crore from Government funds while Lalu served as the Bihar Chief Minister between 1990 to 1997.
The former chief minister has been convicted in two out of the five Fodder Scam cases. He was convicted in the first case four years ago and received jail time of five years. But after the first two months the Supreme Court gave Yadav bail.
