Ranchi: The Jharkhand high court on Saturday granted bail to RJD president Lalu Prasad in the Dumka treasury case of the multi-crore rupees fodder scam, paving way for his release from jail.The bail was allowed to Prasad by Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh.The court directed him neither to leave the country without permission nor change his address and mobile number during the bail period.
Prasad had acquired bail in three other cases of the fodder scam and was waiting for judgement in the instant case related to the illegal withdrawal of Rs 3.13 crore from the Dumka treasury by the animal husbandry department officials between 1991 and 1996, when Prasad was the chief minister of Bihar.
The trial court had held Prasad guilty under Sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc.), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (whoever fraudulently or dishonestly uses as genuine) of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corrupt Act.
The trial court had ordered seven years imprisonment. His application for bail was later rejected in the sessions court. As per his lawyer, Prasad had already served 3.5 years in jail.Prasad, 73, who was convicted in four cases related to the fodder scam, has already secured bail in the other three cases, and is likely to walk out of prison.Pronouncing the order, Justice Singh stated that Prasad had served half the tenure of his sentence in the case, enabling him to acquire bail.
Prasad is being currently treated at All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. He was shifted to the hospital from Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi on January 23 after his health deteriorated. The septuagenarian RJD supremo has been in hospital since August 2018.
He recently found himself in controversy over an alleged phone call to Bihar BJP MLA Lalan Kumar Paswan, in which he sought help in defeating the NDA’s candidate for Assembly Speaker’s post, according to Indian Express.
