Fodder scam verdict to be out on July 15

A special CBI court in Ranchi on Thursday set July 15 as the date for its verdict on one of the multicrore fodder scam cases involving former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad and Jagannath Mishra. HT reports.

A special CBI court in Ranchi on Thursday set July 15 as the date for its verdict on one of the multicrore fodder scam cases involving former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad and Jagannath Mishra.

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The court asked the accused to furnish their written arguments and complete other formalities by July 1.

The verdict will be on the case in which Rs.37.70 crore was reportedly withdrawn from the Chaibasa treasury in an unfair manner.

It was alleged that the accused, including officials of the animal husbandry department (AHD) and private suppliers, were in collusion to cheat the government in the purchase of fodder, medicines and other articles.

This is the first case of the five involving high-profile persons including a Janata Dal (U) MP from Bihar, six former IAS officers and 33 others, apart from Prasad and Mishra.

Of the 53 fodder scam cases registered by the CBI since 1996, in 44 the accused have been convicted and in the remaining nine, of which Prasad is an accused in five, are in different stages of trial.