Fodder scam verdict Highlights: Law will catch up with you if you commit corruption, says BJP on Lalu Prasad’s conviction

A special CBI court held RJD chief Lalu Prasad guilty in a fodder scam case. Quantum of punishment will be pronoucned on January 3, 2018. Here are the updates.

A special CBI court on Saturday convicted former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad and 15 others in a fodder scam case while acquitting six including another former chief minister Jagannath Mishra.

Lalu Prasad Yadav proceeding to appear before a special CBI court in Ranchi.(Parwaz Khan/HT Photo)

CBI judge Shivpal Singh pronounced the verdict in a packed courtroom in the case pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from Deoghar Treasury between 1991 and 1994.

Lalu Prasad, the chief of RJD, and other convicts were taken into custody immediately after the pronouncement of the verdict..

Here are the updates:

9:26 pm: We had hoped of Lalu Yadav’s acquittal in this case. I believe that he would get justice when the matter goes to a higher court: Sharad Yadav.

7.26 pm: Nitish Kumar, BJP kept trying to malign Lalu Ji, says son Tejashwi Yadav.

Will challenge judgement in HC. We have already appealed against conviction in Chaibasa treasury case in HC. Bail procedure would take place only after HC’s opening: Tejashwi

7.25 pm: As you sow, so you reap , says Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi.

6.00 pm: Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad says lesson from today’s conviction of Lalu Prasad is that law will catch up with you if you commit corruption.

For me, it is a matter of some personal assurance that I had the privilege to argue the PIL in Patna High Court in the early 90s leading to the institution of CBI inquiry which was strongly opposed by the then state govt headed by Lalu Yadav: Ravi Shankar Prasad.

5.10 pm: Lalu Prasad is even now politicizing the issue instead of accepting the verdict, just to deviate he is leveling allegations of conspiracy on BJP, says Union minister JP Nadda.

5 pm: RJD says it will challenge the special CBI court’s order in the high court soon.

4.47 pm: Manish Tewari of Congress says, “Lalu Yadav has been fighting this legal battle since 1996. It started when BJP leaders filed PIL against him in Patna HC. He & his lawyers are capable of fighting this case. I want to ask BJP why Srijan scam is not being investigated?”

4.45 pm: Lalu Prasad Yadav brought to Birsa Munda Central Jail.

4.30 pm:

4.25 pm: Truth can be made to appear as a lie, as ambiguous or a half lie by concerted onslaught of bias driven propaganda. But blurred layer of bias and hatred will still be removed, come what may! In end Truth will win, tweets Lalu Prasad Yadav .

4.15 pm: Manoj Jha of the RJD responds to the verdict saying they will get redressal at a higher court.

“ Kind of evidences we have, we’ll get redressal at a higher court. Politically I know this regime, they have this typical Standard Operating Procedure-Try to make a deal with your opposition, if you fail...scare them. Want to tell them-Your end has begun, ” he said.

3.53pm: Total 16 people, including Lalu Prasad Yadav, have been found guilty. Six, including former Bihar CM Jagannath Mishra, have been acquitted. Quantum of punishment to be pronounced on January 3.

3.52pm: Ranchi’s Special CBI Court pronounces verdict, holds Lalu Prasad Yadav guilty. Former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra has been acquitted.

3.30pm: Police clear court premises prior to verdict in a fodder scam, ask RJD, Lalu supporters to leave Ranchi court campus.

2.55pm: Lalu Prasad reaches special CBI court in Ranchi ahead of the verdict in a fodder scam case.

2.35pm: “We are expecting a fair decision today. The verdict today will show that the justice can be delayed but cannot be denied,” JD (U) leader and petitioner in a fodder scam case Rajeev Ranjan Singh tells ANI.

2pm: “Whether he is acquitted or convicted, is for the court to decide. We do not comment on it, but he is lecturing on the TV since morning even though the judgement is yet to be delivered,” says Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

11.03am: Hearing for the fodder scam verdict has been moved to 3pm. Lalu Prasad has left the court campus.

10.52am: Fomer Bihar CM Jagannath Mishra, one of the accused in the case, reaches the Ranchi court.

10.42am: “Whatever be the judgment, appeal to people of Bihar to maintain law and order,” says Lalu Prasad as he arrives at the special CBI court.

10.19am: Supporters of Lalu Prasad start gathering at the court premises. There is a heavy police force at the complex. Lalu Prasad is expected to arrive soon.

10.14am: “We trust the judiciary and hope the verdict will be in our favour. Just like the BJP’s propaganda was busted in the 2G scam and Adarsh scam, a similar thing will happen now,” says Lalu Prasad’s son: Tejashwi Yadav.

9.05am: Lalu Prasad says: “We trust and respect the judiciary. We will not let BJP’s conspiracies work.” The former Bihar chief minister alleges the BJP governments since the time of Atal Bihari Vajpayee have been harassing him and his family by misusing the CBI for the past 25 years.

8.30am: The special CBI court is likely to announce the verdict on fodder scam case involving lalu Prasad yadav and his aide Jagannath Mishra around 10.30am.

On Friday evening, Lalu Prasad, Mishra and other accused arrived in Jharkhand’s capital Ranchi to appear in person before the court. To meet their party chief, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) workers and supporters from Bihar and Jharkhand made a beeline to the railway guest house where Lalu Prasad is staying. “My client has arrived in Ranchi to appear before the court on Saturday, the day fixed for the verdict,” said Prasad’s advocate Prabhat Kumar.

The case so far