JanjaWeed
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2010
- Messages
- 9,772
- Reaction score
- -2
- Country
- Location
Ranchi, Jharkhand: Lalu Prasad has been sentenced to five years in jail in the multi-crore fodder scam, which surfaced 17 years ago, when he was Chief Minister of Bihar.
Mr Prasad has also been fined Rs. 25 lakh.
He stands disqualified as Lok Sabha MP and will be barred from contesting elections for six years after he has served his prison term, according to a recent Supreme Court order.
The 66-year-old Rashtriya Janata Dal chief was convicted on Monday with 44 others in the case that involves the embezzlement of 950 crores from the state government treasury in the name of fodder and medicines for non-existent cattle.
Another former Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra has been sentenced to four years in jail.
This morning Lalu Prasad's lawyers argued for leniency on grounds that he was an eminent and law-abiding citizen who had turned around the railways as minister. They even pleaded that he suffers from many diseases, to counter the CBI's plea for maximum punishment.
The Bihar politician, who is prisoner number 3312 at Ranchi's Birsa Munda Central jail, was not in court when the CBI judge announced the sentence through teleconference.
The jail sentence may take him out of active politics for 11 years, but sources say he has already turned his jail cell into the new RJD headquarters where he has been meeting party leaders.
Mr Prasad reportedly does not favour appointing an interim head for the RJD, as he appeals to the High Court for relief. If he is not granted bail by a superior court, he will have to look at who can lead the party in his stead, as party cadres get restive and political rivals eye his not unsubstantial vote bank.
His wife Rabri Devi, who has been chief minister of Bihar thrice, has said she and her son will run the party "like Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi run the Congress."
Lalu Prasad sentenced to five years in jail in fodder scam case | NDTV.com
Mr Prasad has also been fined Rs. 25 lakh.
He stands disqualified as Lok Sabha MP and will be barred from contesting elections for six years after he has served his prison term, according to a recent Supreme Court order.
The 66-year-old Rashtriya Janata Dal chief was convicted on Monday with 44 others in the case that involves the embezzlement of 950 crores from the state government treasury in the name of fodder and medicines for non-existent cattle.
Another former Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra has been sentenced to four years in jail.
This morning Lalu Prasad's lawyers argued for leniency on grounds that he was an eminent and law-abiding citizen who had turned around the railways as minister. They even pleaded that he suffers from many diseases, to counter the CBI's plea for maximum punishment.
The Bihar politician, who is prisoner number 3312 at Ranchi's Birsa Munda Central jail, was not in court when the CBI judge announced the sentence through teleconference.
The jail sentence may take him out of active politics for 11 years, but sources say he has already turned his jail cell into the new RJD headquarters where he has been meeting party leaders.
Mr Prasad reportedly does not favour appointing an interim head for the RJD, as he appeals to the High Court for relief. If he is not granted bail by a superior court, he will have to look at who can lead the party in his stead, as party cadres get restive and political rivals eye his not unsubstantial vote bank.
His wife Rabri Devi, who has been chief minister of Bihar thrice, has said she and her son will run the party "like Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi run the Congress."
Lalu Prasad sentenced to five years in jail in fodder scam case | NDTV.com
