Fodder scam verdict: Lalu Prasad Yadav convicted by CBI court, quantum of punishment on January 3

RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh has said, “We will move the high court against the CBI court order convicting Lalu Prasad in a fodder scam case,” according to PTI. Singh also questioned the judgement saying how did it come to be that Mishra got bail while Lalu was put in prison.

The case pertains to a scam which emerged in the 90’s involving siphoning of large sums of money from government treasuries in Deogarh and other places to the tune of Rs 89.27 lakhs between 1991-94. Of the six cases in the scam, this was the second in which verdict was pronounced. The RJD chief was also held guilty on September 30, 2013 in the first case, but the Supreme Court granted him bail in December that year. In the aftermath of the verdict, he was disqualified from Parliament and was banned from contesting elections.

Anticipating disturbance in law and order situation outside the special CBI court in Ranchi by RJD supporters following the verdict, police made special arrangements which included security personnel in riot gear.

WATCH THE VIDEO:

#WATCH: Lalu Prasad Yadav outside Ranchi’s Special CBI Court after being convicted in a #FodderScam case pic.twitter.com/hn6REkaizv

— ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2017

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On Thursday, the RJD chief had expressed hope that he too will be acquitted in the case just like DMK leaders Kanimozhi, A Raja and others were acquitted in the 2G scam case this week. “We trust and respect the judiciary. We will not let BJP’s conspiracies work, Jaisa 2G mein hua, Ashok Chavan ka hua, vaisa hi humara bhi hoga,” Prasad had said, according to news agency ANI.

TRACK THE VERDICT: Fodder case verdict LIVE UPDATES: Lalu Yadav found guilty in fodder scam, alleges political vendetta by BJP

He had also alleged that BJP-ruled governments since the time of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee have been after him and his family members, using the CBI as an excuse since the past 25 years.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi arriving at the special CBI court in Ranchi for the verdict on Saturday. (PTI Photo)

How the RJD reacted:

Calling the verdict “politically motivated,” RJD leader Manoj Jha accused the BJP of engineering the CBI court’s decision.

The twitter account of Lalu Prasad Yadav was abuzz with activity after the verdict was announced. Comparing Lalu to Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King and BR Ambedkar, twitter handle @laluprasadrjd said, “Had people like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Baba Saheb Ambedkar failed in their efforts, history would have treated them as villains. They still are villains for the biased, racist and caste-ist minds. No one should expect any different treatment.”

READ | A look at cases lodged against Lalu Prasad Yadav, his family

In a series of tweets, Lalu’s handle slammed the BJP, saying that “truth will prevail” and that the ruling government’s “rhetoric” and “bias driven propoganda” will be defeated.

Had people like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Baba Saheb Ambedkar failed in their efforts, history would have treated them as villains. They still are villains for the biased, racist and caste-ist minds. No one should expect any different treatment.

— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) December 23, 2017

Truth can be made to appear as a lie, as ambiguous or a half lie by concerted onslaught of bias driven propaganda. But blurred layer of bias and hatred will still be removed, come what may! In end Truth will win

— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) December 23, 2017

Lalu’s son and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav also took to twitter to express his anguish over his father’s conviction. He appealed for peace from party workers and implored them to respect the court’s decision. He added that truth cannot be defeated and that “we will win for sure”.

सभी पार्टी कार्यकर्ताओं से अपील करता हूँ कि वो शांति बनाए रखते हुए न्यायालय के फ़ैसले का सम्मान करें। सत्य को कोई नहीं हरा सकता। हमारी जीत होगी और ज़रूर होगी। अपना प्रेम और विश्वास बनाए रखें। जय बिहार, जय हिंद

— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) December 23, 2017

How Congress reacted:

Congress leader Manish Tewari told reporters, “Lalu Yadav has been fighting this legal battle since 1996. It started when BJP leaders filed PIL against him in Patna HC. He and his lawyers are capable of fighting this case. I want to ask BJP why Srijan scam is not being investigated,” according to news agency ANI.

How BJP reacted:

Bihar deputy chief minister and BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said that the verdict was on the “expected” lines. He said that Lalu had to go to jail because of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by him and Shivananad and Lalan Singh, however, Shivanand now was “defending the undefensible” (sic).

Process of going to Jail https://t.co/QHtfWx45qM father, next who ? Lalu knows ?Whole family involved in corruption .Either fodder scam or benami property ?Today चारा Next LaRa ?

— Sushil Kumar Modi (मोदी का परिवार ) (@SushilModi) December 23, 2017

Speaking on the RJD chief’s conviction in the fodder scam case, Union minister and BJP leader JP Nadda said, “Lalu Prasad Yadav is even now politicizing the issue instead of accepting the verdict, just to deviate he is leveling allegations of conspiracy on BJP.”

Nadda added: The alliance between Congress and Lalu Yadav’s party is an alliance of corruption, connivance and cheating the people of India; It is clear from the verdict of the court.

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “For me, it is a matter of some personal assurance that I had the privilege to argue the PIL in Patna High Court in the early 90’s leading to the institution of CBI inquiry which was strongly opposed by the then state govt headed by Lalu Yadav.”

He added, “Lesson of today’s conviction of Lalu Prasad is that law will catch up with you if you commit corruption.”

(With PTI and ANI inputs)