Fodder scam case: Lalu Prasad appears in CBI court

The scam relates to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 900 crore by the animal husbandry department from various district when Lalu Prasad was the chief minister.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Tuesday appeared in a special CBI court in Patna over his alleged involvement in a multi-crore fodder scam case, a government lawyer said.

Lalu Prasad and another former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra were on bail after serving jail term in Ranchi in another fodder scam case. (PTI File)

Another former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra will also appear in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Tuesday. Mishra is another accused in the scam.

Lalu Prasad and Mishra were on bail after serving jail term in Ranchi in another fodder scam case.

The case relates to withdrawing Rs 47 lakh fraudulently from the Bhagalpur treasury. The CBI had registered a case in this regard in 1996. Later, it filed a chargesheet naming 44 accused including Lalu Prasad and Mishra.

Last month, the Supreme Court had ruled that Lalu Prasad will have to stand trial in all the four fodder scam cases setting aside a Jharkhand High Court order that had dropped conspiracy charges against the former Bihar Chief Minister.

The fodder scam relates to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 900 crore by the animal husbandry department from various district when Lalu Prasad was the chief minister.