Fodder scam: Yogi orders probe after judge says 'got calls from Lalu's men'

Reports in a section of the media have alleged that UP IAS officers had called up CBI Special Judge Shivpal Singh to seek favours for the RJD chief in the fodder scam case

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a probe into Special CBI Court Judge Shivpal Singh's allegations about receiving calls from Lalu Prasad's men, in connection with his conviction in the fodder scam case.

Yogi on Wednesday ordered Jhansi Commissioner, Amit Gupta to probe the matter and sought a report at the earliest, after the District Magistrate of Jalaun district, Mannan Akhtar -one of the men named by Singh- denied calling him.

"I never talked to him (Shivpal Singh) over the phone. He must issue a statement if it happened. On the date mentioned in reports, I was in my hometown in Assam, on a leave", Akhtar told media.

Reports in a section of the media have alleged that District Magistrate (DM) Mannan Akhtar and Sub-Divisional Magistrate Bhairpal Singh of Jalaun had called up CBI Special Judge Shivpal Singh to seek favours for the RJD chief in the fodder scam case.

During the proceedings of the case in Ranchi on January 4, the CBI judge had also stated "Laluji, we are getting a lot of references and calls for you" without naming the people who had called him up.

Prasad was later awarded a sentence of three-and-a-half years in jail and a fine of Rs 5 lakh.

However, DM Akhtar refuting the allegations, said, "I never spoke to CBI Special Judge Shivpal Singh over phone. I have been here (Jalaun) just for four months and he had come to meet us in November in connection with his land dispute in the district. Nothing else was discussed."

"How can someone level such serious allegations without any evidence? I belong to Assam and am working in Uttar Pradesh. I have no connection of any kind with Laluji," he said.

A 2011-batch IAS officer, Akhtar became Jalaun DM in September last year.

During the hearing to pronounce the quantum of sentence on January 4, Special Ranchi Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court judge Shivpal Singh alleged that he got phone calls from Lalu Prasad's men, in connection with his conviction in the case, and added that he would take the decision in compliance with the law.

The RJD chief, along with 14 others, was found guilty by the court, while seven accused, including former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra, were acquitted, on December 23.

On January 6, Lalu was sentenced to 3.5 years in jail.