Karthikeyan Reviews Progress In Fodder Scam Probe

CBI special director (south-east) D.R. Karthikeyan yesterday reviewed the progress in the ongoing investigations into the fodder scam, particularly the conspiracy aspect involving politicians.

Karthikeyan, who arrived here in the morning, went to the agencys zonal headquarters here and held a high-level meeting with the officials probing the cases relating to the scam.

CBI joint director (east) U.N. Biswas, who is in-charge of the scam investigations, besides, its DIG (AHD-Patna), R.N. Kaul, and SP (AHD-patna), V.S.K. Kaumudi, were present at the meeting.

Earlier, talking to reporters at Patna airport, Karthikeyan said I have come to Patna after a long time and I will be reviewing the progress made in the investigations. The special director refused to comment when his attention was drawn to reports appearing in a section of press that differences have cropped up among senior officials supervising the investigations.

Karthikeyan said he would minutely go through the final reports of investigations prepared by the agency officials relating to those cases in which they propose to file chargesheets.

In all, CBI has registered 48 cases relating to fraudulent withdrawals from various treasuries of the state by the animal husbandry department (AHD) officials between 1988-89 and 1995-96.

The agency has filed chargesheets in 13 cases including one in a conspiracy angle case (RC 20 A/96) of the scam in which former chief ministers Laloo Prasad Yadav and Jagannath Mishra besides 53 others, are accused.

Yadav and Mishra are at present under judicial custody in connection with the case.

Of the 48 cases, the CBI has identified seven as conspiracy angle cases involving politicians. The agency claims that Laloo Yadavs involvement has been, prima facie, found in four of the conspiracy angle cases.

The CBI has already moved Governor A.R. Kidwai seeking his nod to prosecute Yadav in the conspiracy case (RC 64 A/96) relating to fraudulent withdrawals of more than Rs 97 lakh from the Deoghar treasury.

The governors permission will enable the agency to file chargesheet in the designated CBI court in this case.

CBI sources said the investigating team was also giving final touches to the investigation reports relating to two other conspiracy aspect cases involving Yadav.