Fodder scam: Timeline

RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav was on Monday convicted by a special CBI court in the fodder scam corruption case that disqualifies him from Parliament and renders him ineligible for contesting elections for at least six years.

Fodder scam: Lalu Prasad Yadav,44 others convicted; RJD chief can’t fight polls

Following is the timeline of the 17 years old multi-million fodder scam that surfaced in 1996:

January 27,1996: The Rs 950-crore fodder scam first surfaced after a raid conducted on the offices of Animal Husbandry department -under which money for agricultural support programmes was stolen – in Chaibasa. The scam involved large-scale embezzlement of funds from government treasury given to non-existent companies for purchase and supply of cattle fodder in Bihar in 1990s.

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March 11,1996: Patna High Court directs CBI to probe fodder scam cases.

Fodder Scam: Day before verdict,Lalu skirts media

March 19,1996: Supreme Court affirms PHC order,asks 2-member bench to monitor progress of investigation.

May 10,1997: CBI makes a formal request to the federally-appointed Governor of Bihar to prosecute Lalu.

June 17,1997: The Governor gives permission for Lalu and others to be prosecuted.

From the Archives: Once there was a scam

June 23,1997: On 23 June,the CBI files chargesheets against Lalu and 55 other co-accused. 63 cases were registered under IPC Sections 420 (forgery) and 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy) and Section 13 (b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

July 30,1997: The RJD leader,who resigned as chief minister following the multi-crore fodder scam,surrenders before a court.

August 19,1998: Disproportionate Assets case registered against Lalu.

April 4,2000: Lalu chargesheeted. Rabri Devi’s name included as co-accused for abetment of the offence.

April 5,2000: Lalu/Rabri surrender to CBI court. Rabri gets bail,and Lalu sent to jail after judge rejects his bail prayer.

Bihar: RJD sees a Nitish-Rahul link

May 10,2000: Patna High Court grants provisional bail to Lalu which is extended on 25 occasions.

June 9,2000: Charges framed against Lalu/Rabri.

October 5,2001: Supreme Court transfers fodder scam cases to Jharkhand after the creation of new state.

February,2002: Trial begins in Ranchi special CBI court.

November 23,2006: Arguments conclude in the case.

December 4,2006: Judge fixes December 18 for delivering verdict.

December 18,2006: Lalu,Rabri acquitted of charges in a disproportionate assets case filed against them by the CBI seven years ago.

May 31,2007: 58 people including Lalu’s nephews were convicted,and given terms of 5 to 6 years each. Among them were two former regional directors of the Animal Husbandry DepartmentJunul Bhengraj and Raja Ramand four suppliers,namely Rakesh Mehra,Sanjay Kumar,Nagendra Yadav and Virendra Yadav.

March 1,2012: Nine years after a chargesheet was filed against 44 people in one of the cases related to the multi-crore fodder scam,CBI court frames charges against former chief ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav and Jagannath Mishra,JD-U’s Jehanabad MP Jagdish Sharma and 31 others in connection with fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 46 lakh from Banka and Bhagalpur treasuries against “forged bills”.

August 13,2013: Supreme Court rejects Lalu Prasad’s plea seeking transfer of the trial court judge hearing the case.

September 17,2013: Special court Ranchi reserves judgement in fodder scam case.

September 30,2013: CBI court convicts Lalu Prasad Yadav along with 44 others in the fodder scam. RJD chief stands disqualified as member of the Lok Sabha following the verdict.

(With PTI inputs)

First published on: 30-09-2013 at 12:47:23 pm