7 Years Jail for RJD Supremo Lalu Yadav In The Fourth Fodder Scam

File Picture Courtesy : The Financial Express

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s woes continues to rise with every passing day and there seems to be no relief whatsoever. Now ,  a special CBI court in Ranchi  has sentenced the RJD supremo to seven years in jail in the Dumka treasury case . The latest verdict effectively more or less ends Lalu’s political career. It remains to be seen how he battles out these cases in the days ahead.

According to media reports, the sentences of seven years each have been given under the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act, and will run concurrently. He also added that the total fine slapped on the RJD leader amounted to Rs 60 lakh.

This is the fourth fodder scam case in which Lalu has been convicted. The court had held him guilty while acquitting co-accused Jagannath Mishra on 19 March. Nineteen others were also convicted in the case, which involved the withdrawal of Rs 3.13 crore from the Dumka treasury.

Lalu had already been convicted in three fodder scam cases while Mishra has been convicted in two. The first conviction came in 2013 when he was sentenced to five years in jail.

Lalu is currently lodged in the Birsa Munda jail in Ranchi since 23 December, 2017, when he was found guilty in the second fodder scam case involving the fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar treasury 21 years ago.

A special CBI court had sentenced Lalu to three-and-a-half years in jail and fined him Rs 10 lakh in the second fodder scam case on 6 January.

Then on On 24 January, a special CBI court sentenced Lalu and Mishra to five years in jail in a third case in the fodder scam, related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.62 crore from the Chaibasa treasury.