Supreme Court to Review Lalu Yadav’s Bail in Fodder Scam
In a recent development, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) appeal against the bail granted to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader, Lalu Yadav, concerning the infamous fodder scam. The hearing, scheduled for August 25, will be overseen by a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Lalu Yadav, the RJD supremo, has been a central figure in the fodder scam, which involved the fraudulent withdrawal of funds from state treasuries located in Deoghar, Dumka, Chaibasa, and Doranda during his tenure as Bihar’s Chief Minister. The scam, amounting to ₹950 crore, saw large disbursals from state treasuries based on fabricated bills during 1997 when Lalu Yadav held the dual roles of Chief Minister and Finance Minister.
In a counter to the CBI’s plea, Lalu Yadav stated that the Jharkhand High Court’s decision to suspend his sentence cannot be contested merely because the CBI is discontented. He emphasized,
“The probe agency can’t challenge the relief granted to him just because they are dissatisfied.”
Citing his deteriorating health and advanced age, the 75-year-old RJD leader argued that detaining him further would serve no purpose. He further added that there was no reason to meddle with the High court’s decision as it was grounded in general principles and consistent rules.
The CBI, however, has a different perspective. They believe that the high court made an oversight in determining that Lalu had served half his sentence. The agency’s stance is that Lalu’s sentences were to be served consecutively, culminating in a 14-year term. At the time the bail was granted, Lalu had only completed approximately one year of his imprisonment.
Adding a political angle to the legal battle, Tejashwi Yadav, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister and Lalu Yadav’s son, criticized the CBI’s move to expedite the court hearing. He remarked,
“Their greatest fear is from Bihar and hence these things are happening. It will continue till the elections… We are not scared. We are clear about the way forward. We will fight and win.”
The fodder scam has been a long-standing issue, with Lalu Yadav being convicted in five related cases. He was previously sentenced to 14 years in jail for cases linked to treasuries in Dumka, Deoghar, and Chaibasa in Jharkhand.
