Hearing In Fodder Scam Adjourned

A division bench comprising justices, S N Jha and S J Mukhopadhya, while asking the Income Tax to step up its activities, told the court that we do not want give the impression that we are in a hurry to give the final verdict.

The hearing did not last long and the judges adjourned the case till November 13 when the bench was informed by the petitioners that the Supreme Court had reserved the judgement in the special leave petition filed by the government and the CBI.

The court, in the course of hearing, told the counsel of the Income Tax that the department should initiate speedy action and might indulge in counsel activism. The bench asked the investigation agencies - the CBI and the Income Tax to submit their progress report afresh before November 13.

In the light of the Supreme Courts observation in the case, some harsh ruling was expected. But the newsmen and battery of cameramen returned dejected when the court adjourned the case.

within a few minutes. The CBI joint director, U N Biswas, who has become the hero following the Supreme Courts order, was also present in the court. His deputies, Ranjit Sinha, DIG and the SP, Javed Ahmed accompanied him.

The counsel for the petitioner, Sushil Kumar Modi, MLA requested the court to pass an order for the early conclusion of the investigation. The court then observed: The CBI monitoring the case and we are not in a hurry to pass any verdict.

It may be mentioned here that the Centre and the CBI had moved the CBI in protest against the ruling of the present bench of the Patna High Court that had restricted the indicted the CBI director, Joginder Singh, for interfering in the investigation of the fodder scandal.

I-T raids

Ram Lakhan

Income Tax officials yesterday conducted raids at the official and residential premises of former chemical and fertiliser minister, Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav at Delhi, Ghaziabad and Patna in connection with Rs 135 crore urea purchase scandal. Yadavs son, Prakash Chandra, a Janata Dal MLC, is the main accused in the case and has been arrested by the CBI. According to sources, income tax officials seized 27 bank accounts, one and half kilogram of jewellery, Rs 36,000 in cash and also incriminating documents showing Yadavs investments in several properties.

Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav is under the survelliance of the CBI for his alleged role in supressing the multi-crore animal husbandry racket. He is likely to be interrogated by the CBI in near future. The IT raid was continuing even during the time of writing this report.