New Delhi: The Special CBI Court in Ranchi on Tuesday convicted 75 accused, including then Chief Minister of Bihar, former MLAs, former Secretary in Bihar government, then Commissioner of Income Tax and Veterinary Doctors in a Fodder scam case.
The Trial Court had sentenced 35 accused to undergo three years Rigorous Imprisonment with varying amounts of fine under relevant Sections of IPC and other laws, whereas quantum of punishment in respect of 40 other convicted accused, including Lalu, will be produced on February 21, said a CBI spokesperson.
All 75 accused have been sent to Judicial Custody. These include Lalu Yadav, then MLAs of Bihar Legislative Assembly, then Secretary, then Treasury Officers, then Drawing and Disbursing Officer, then Assistant Director (Planning), then Regional Director, then DAHO, then GM, GCF, then District Animal Husbandry Officer, then District Animal Husbandry Officer, and then In-Charge DAHO and others, he added.
CBI had registered a case following orders of Patna High Court and the orders of Supreme Court. It took over investigation of case No 60/96, earlier registered at Doranda Police Station against KN Jha Regional Director, Animal Husbandry Department, South Chhotanagpur Region, Ranchi and 72 other people on a complaint from Deputy Commissioner, Ranchi.
During the period between 1990-91 and 1995-96, then AHD officials, in alleged conspiring with unscrupulous suppliers and others, withdrew and misappropriated Rs 182.82 crore from Doranda Treasury in Ranchi under the pretext of making payment to the suppliers, who submitted alleged spurious/bogus bills falsely showing supply of feed, fodder and veterinary medicines.
The amount, so withdrawn, was allegedly misappropriated, said CBI. During investigation, the role of bureaucrats, politicians and others came to the fore. Three charge sheets were filed in the Court in Ranchi on May 8, 2001, June 7, 2003 and June 24, 2003 against the accused, including Lalu Yadav, other politicians, bureaucrats, veterinary doctors, treasury officials and suppliers, added the national agency.
During investigation, an alleged fraud of Rs 139.35 crore was found. Charges were framed on July 6, 2005. During the trial, 575 Prosecution Witnesses were examined and around 4,200 documents were exhibited. The Trial Court pronounced 75 accused as guilty and acquitted 24.Â
