298 convicted in fodder scam cases so far: CBI

In one of biggest scams of the country -- the Rs 622 crore fodder scam -- the CBI has successfully managed to get conviction in 36 of the 60 cases.

In one of biggest scams of the country -- the Rs 622 crore fodder scam -- the CBI has successfully managed to get conviction in 36 of the 60 cases filed by it in the last 13 years of probe.

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In the latest judgement by Special CBI court in Ranchi, out of a total of 59 accused 48 have been convicted with sentence ranging from maximum six years to three years and accompanying penalty ranging from Rs 35 lakhs to Rs 20,000.

The agency has taken up investigation of 64 fodder scam cases on the orders of the Supreme Court and the Patna High Court in March 1996.

"Till now, judgements have been delivered in 36 out of the 60 charge sheeted cases, out of which 35 cases have ended in conviction of the accused persons. In the 36 cases decided so far, two hundred and ninety eight (298) individual accused persons have been convicted and sentenced," CBI spokesperson said here.

The official said in all these cases it had been alleged that accused officials of the Animal Husbandry Department (AHD) of the Government of Bihar in criminal conspiracy with unscrupulous suppliers, bureaucrats, politicians and political executives withdrew and misappropriated amounts totalling to Rs 721.89 crore from state exchequer of the then Bihar state, now Jharkhand.