CBI court frames charges against Laloo, Rabri

June 9: The CBI special court today framed charges against Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and her husband, Laloo Prasad Yadav, in the dis...

June 9: The CBI special court today framed charges against Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and her husband, Laloo Prasad Yadav, in the disproportionate assets case. Special CBI judge S K Lal rejected the petition moved by the couple seeking their discharge from the case. He observed that prima facie charges were made out against the duo.

The RJD chief and former Bihar Chief Minister has been accused of amassing assets worth Rs 46 lakh, which, according to the income-tax officials, is disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Laloo faces charges of criminal misconduct under Section 13 (1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, punishable under Section 13 (2) of the Act, while the Chief Minister was charged with abetment in the commission of the offence by allowing Laloo to acquire a substantial portion of his assets in her name and in the names of their minor children.

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The charges against Rabri were framed under Section 109 of the IPC, read with Section 13(2) and 13(1)(E) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The framing of charges marks the commencement of the trial by the designated CBI court which has — following a Patna High Court order — to complete the proceedings within a period of six months.

Lal fixed July 4 as the date for beginning the examination of the witnesses.

The DA case (RC 5A/98) charges Laloo with having accumulated huge wealth amounting to Rs 46 lakh disproportionate to his known sources of income between 1990 and 1997 when he was holding the office of Chief Minister. The DA case, according to the CBI, is an offshoot of the multi-crore fodder scam.

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According to the CBI chargesheet, investigations had revealed that the RJD president acquired most of the assets by resorting to illegal and corrupt means during his tenure as Chief Minister between March 10, 1990, and March 28, 1995, and again from April 4, 1995 to July 25, 1997.

Prior to March 10, 1990, Laloo’s assets — movable and immovable — were valued at about Rs 6.44 lakh and during the period under consideration (March 10, 1990 and March 31, 1997), he acquired pecuniary resources and property in his name and in the names of his family member to the extent of Rs 42.64 lakh.

Investigations, according to the chargesheet, further revealed that the income of Laloo and his dependent family members during this period from known sources was Rs 16.55 lakh.