SC dismisses RJD supremo Lalu Yadav's bail plea in fodder scam cases

The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed Lalu Prasad Yadav's plea seeking bail in multi-crore fodder scam cases, dashing hopes of the RJD supremo for electioneering during the Lok Sabha polls.

The top court said Yadav is a convicted man and the period spent by him in the jail is nothing in comparison to the 14-year sentence awarded to him.

A bench of Chief Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna while dismissing Yadav's appeal said, "We don't think we can release you on bail".

At the outset, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Yadav, said he has been convicted in four cases and has served jail terms of 24 months, 22 months, 20 months and 14 months respectively.

"In one of the cases, several persons who were holding influential positions were acquitted but I was convicted and sentenced for 14 years," he said.

To this, the bench said in total Yadav has served 24 months in four cases and he cannot split the sentence awarded to him.

Sibal said there were no recoveries of any kind from him in the case, no demands were made and the only major offence under which he was convicted was conspiracy.

The bench said the high court will look into the merits of the case and at present it is only hearing the bail appeal.

Sibal said: "If I am released on bail, I would not run away. My appeal is not being heard in the high court. Currently High court is hearing appeals of 2004 onwards."
Accusing Yadav of undertaking political activities from a hospital in Ranchi, the probe agency had said: "Simultaneous raising of pleas for bail on medical grounds and bail to guide the party and to carry out all essential responsibilities as a party president in ensuing Lok Sabha election are mutually contradictory and manifests that in the garb of bail on medical ground the petitioner in essence wants to pursue his political activities which is impermissible in law."