Lalu appears before CBI courts in fodder cases

RJD president Lalu Prasad, who is serving a five-year prison term in a fodder scam case, appeared before separate special CBI courts in three of the four other fodder scam cases through video conferencing here.

Prasad registered his appearance through video conferencing from the Birsa Munda Central Jail, where he is currently lodged.

He and several others are facing charges in connection with alleged fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 97 lakh from Deoghar Treasury, Rs 3.47 crore from Dumka Treasury and several crores of rupees from Doranda Treasury during RJD regime in the 90s.

Prasad is also facing charges in another case pertaining to Chaibasa Treasury.

Besides Prasad, former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra, former JDU MP Jagdish Sharma and several others are also accused in one or the other cases. Mishra is out on provisional bail on medical ground.

The CBI court of Pravas Kumar Singh had on September 30 convicted Prasad and 44 others for fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore from the Chaibasa treasury.

The court had on October 3 sentenced him to jail for five years and fined Rs 25 lakh.