PATNA: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which probed the multimillion dollar fodder scam is not satisfied with the quantum of punishment awarded to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad in the case.
On Thursday, India’s premier investigating agency filed a petition in the Jharkhand High Court, seeking enhancement of jail term awarded to Prasad and five others in a fodder scam case by the CBI court earlier this year.
A special CBI court in Ranchi had in January this year awarded 3.5 year jail term to Prasad in a fodder scam case involving fraudulent withdrawal of Rs8.92 million (Dh442,714) from Deogarh district treasury during 1991-94.
Deogarh, which is now in Jharkhand, was part of United Bihar when the scam had taken place.
In its petition, the CBI has said quite many accused persons in the same fodder case were handed down seven year jail terms while Prasad and few others were awarded only 3.5 years of jail. “All the accused persons should have been granted similar punishment when the charges and evidence were the same,” the CBI said in its petition.
The investigating agency also mentioned that the fodder scam cases involved larger conspiracy with the politicians involved at the top level and tried to scuttle investigations whenever such issues were raised.
The CBI also challenged the acquittal of former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra and three others in the case by the CBI court despite strong evidence available against them.
Mishra who suffers from blood cancer is currently on provisional bail granted by the court.
“We have filed two separate petitions — one relates to enhancing Prasad’s sentence and another challenges acquittal of Mishra and others,” assistant solicitor general Rajiv Sinha representing the CBI told the media on Friday.
Prasad who surrendered before the CBI court in August is currently admitted to a government hospital for treatment of his multiple ailments. He has been convicted in two other fodder scam cases too this year. While he was awarded five year jail in the case relating fraudulent withdrawal of Rs331 million from Chaibasa district treasury, he was sentenced to 14-year jail in the case involving fraudulent withdrawal of Rs37.6 million from Dumka treasury.
The RJD president has a total of six cases — five in Jharkhand and one in Bihar — registered against him in the fodder scam. Of them, judgement has come in four cases in which he has been awarded a total of 27.5 years of jail which means Prasad will most likely have to pass the remaining years of his life in jail.
