Laloo & Mishra in judicial custody

Designated CBI judge S K Lal postponed the hearing for tomorrow at about 2.45 pm owing to the demise of a city advocate. All other courts followed suit.

While Laloo and Mishra were sent to the Bihar Military Police guest house in view of the security threat, the others were sent to the Beur Central Jail and would be produced in the court tomorrow for further hearing.

The first to reach the court was Mishra with his supporters and physician. Around noon, Laloo arrived with hisentourage. By that time all other accused had reached the court. Unlike last year, RJD supporters acted with restraint.

This was for the second time that the two former Chief Ministers were sent to jail ever since they were named by the CBI in the fodder scam.

RJP chief Laloo Yadav was sent to judicial custody in the improvised Bihar Military Police guest house on July 30 last year in connection with the regular case 20(A)/96 related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37 crore from the Deoghar treasury. He was released on bail on December 11.

Mishra also served his judicial custody in the same jail along with Laloo from September 16,1997 and came out on bail on October 13 the same year.

The bail was granted by the Supreme Court.

Four others who surrendered to the court today and sought regular bails were former Union minister Chandradeo Prasad Verma, two former ministers of Bihar Bhola Ram Toofani and Vidya Sagar Nishad besides RJD MLA R K Rana.

Noted Supreme Court advocate Rajendra Prasad Singhappeared in the court on behalf of Laloo while advocate R K Jain was the counsel of Mishra. Shakil Ahmad appeared for Toofani.