Lalu Yadav granted bail in case linked to fodder scam, can walk out of jail now

Fodder scam: The Jharkhand High Court on Saturday granted bail to Lalu Yadav in Dumka treasury case.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president and former chief minister of Bihar Lalu Yadav was granted bail in a case linked to the fodder scam by the Jharkhand High Court on Saturday. The leader, who is currently undergoing treatment at AIIMS Delhi, will be able to walk out of jail after being released from the hospital.

Lalu Yadav granted bail in fodder scam case by Jharkhand High Court (PTI)

The court granted bail to him in the Dumka treasury case, in which he was convicted of withdrawing ₹3.13 crore from the treasury in Jharkhand's Dumka, formerly in Bihar. The bail was granted by Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh.

The court directed him neither to leave the country without permission nor change his address and mobile number during the bail period, news agency ANI reported.

"The bench of justice Aparesh Kumar Singh granted bail to Prasad on the condition that he would furnish two sureties of ₹1 lakh each and ₹10 lakh fine amount before the court below," Central Bureau of Investigation's counsel and assistant solicitor general Rajiv Sinha said.

The leader was convicted in three other cases related to the fodder scam, in which he was granted bail earlier.

Owing to his poor health, the 72-year-old politician has spent a lot of time in the hospital since 2017, the year he was jailed. He was flown from Ranchi's Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) to AIIMS Delhi in January this year after his health worsened.

A special CBI court sentenced the leader to 14 years of imprisonment--seven under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections and seven under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act-- in the fodder scam case.

(with ANI inputs)