Lalu optimistic about getting 'favourable verdict' in fodder scam case

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav arrived at the special CBI court here on Friday morning for hearing in connection with one of the fodder scam cases.

The fodder scam case relates to the alleged fraudulent withdrawal of Rs. 95 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury.Overall, more than Rs.900 crore in public funds was reportedly syphoned off from the Chaibasa treasury over two decades, reports claim. Lalu has also been found guilty of fraudulent withdrawals worth Rs 37.70 crore from the Chaibasa treasury.

Lalu said, "I came here as I was summoned by the lower court. I respect the law and the judicial system. I am sure that at the end the verdict will be in my favour."

The RJD chief has already been convicted and sentenced to five years of imprisonment in one of the five fodder scam cases.

Former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra has also reached the court for the hearing of the case.

The Supreme Court in May had set aside Lalu Yadav's plea that the Jharkhand High Court had in 2015 quashed criminal conspiracy charges against him in connection with alleged fraudulent withdrawal of several lakhs from the Deogarh Treasury, and his claim that he had already been convicted of the offence, and therefore could not be tried again. The single bench of the apex court order headed by Justice Arun Misra set aside the verdict of the high court.

-ANI