THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Ranchi, July 9: The Jharkhand High Court has admitted a criminal appeal filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking an increase in the sentence awarded to former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and two other convicts in the fodder scam case. The appeal pertains to the fraudulent withdrawal of ₹89 lakh from the Deoghar treasury.
The CBI had filed the plea to enhance the sentence of six individuals convicted in the case. However, three of them—RK Rana, Phoolchand Singh, and Mahesh Prasad—have passed away, and the court proceeded with the matter concerning the remaining three: Lalu Prasad, Beck Julius, and Subir Bhattacharya.
The division bench comprising Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay and Justice Ambuj Nath accepted the appeal after hearing arguments from the CBI.
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CBI Seeks Sentence Enhancement Based on Role in Scam
Representing the CBI, advocate Deepak Bharti argued that the special CBI court had awarded a lesser sentence to Lalu Prasad and others despite acknowledging in its verdict that the scam took place under Lalu’s political patronage.
Bharti pointed out that in the same case (RC 64A/96), former Public Accounts Committee chairman Jagdish Sharma had been sentenced to 7 years’ imprisonment under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code, along with a fine of ₹10 lakh.
In contrast, Lalu Prasad, Beck Julius, and Subir Bhattacharya were each sentenced to only three and a half years of imprisonment. Bharti contended that such a lenient sentence was inappropriate, particularly in light of the lower court’s own observation that Lalu provided cover for the execution of the scam. Therefore, a stricter sentence was warranted.
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Background of the Case
The fodder scam case dates back to 1996, when the CBI registered an FIR related to the fraudulent withdrawal of ₹89 lakh from the Deoghar treasury. Following a thorough investigation, the CBI filed a chargesheet, and on December 23, 2017, the special CBI court delivered its verdict.
Subsequently, on January 6, 2018, CBI Special Judge Shivpal Singh announced the sentences. Lalu Prasad, Beck Julius, RK Rana, Phoolchand Singh, Mahesh Prasad, and Subir Bhattacharya were all awarded three and a half years in prison under the provisions of the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act.
However, Jagdish Sharma, who held a prominent legislative post in undivided Bihar, received a longer sentence of seven and a half years and a fine of ₹10 lakh.
