Special CBI court finds Lalu Yadav guilty in fodder scam case, quantum of punishment on January 3

The Special CBI court in Ranchi on Saturday, December 23 found Lalu Yadav and 16 others guilty in the Deoghar Treasury fodder scam case from 1990's. Six others including former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra have been acquitted by the court. The quantum of punishment will be announced by the CBI special court on January 3, 2018. 

Lalu Yadav will be taken into judicial custody. He can appeal against the verdict and apply for bail only after the quantum of punishment is announced.

At a Rashtriya Janata Dal press conference in New Delhi, party leader Manoj Jha has alleged that the "CBI botched up the evidence" as he said, "The proofs provided by us were set aside by the CBI court as it convicted Yadav. This happens in most of the cases. We will approach the higher court in this regard."

Also the RJD further asserted, "The CBI has probed the case under the influence of the Centre."

Jha further said, "The judicial architecture of this country will not bend at the knee to such knocks. We believe in Satyamev Jayate (Truth wins). This is not like our Prime Minister Narendra Modi's agenda. We have legal redressal and we will fight this politically."

"Two people have been ruining the nation. What of that? Whoever goes to these people are saved from scams and allegations, who does not, have to suffer. Here in this case the CBI was arranging prosecution," Jha added.

Yadav along with former Bihar CM Jagannath Mishra, former lawmaker R K Rana and three former IAS officers -- Phoolchand Singh, Beck Julius and Mahesh Prasad, and others stand accused in the case.

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The former Bihar CM was disqualified from contesting elections and lost his Lok Sabha membership in 2013 after he was convicted in one of the cases (Chaibasa treasury case) on charges of corruption amounting to Rs 37 crore. He is out on bail in that case. 

Lalu's daughter under ED's scanner

While the sword of law hangs over the RJD chief, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday filed a charge-sheet against Lalu's daughter Misa Bharti and her husband in an alleged money laundering case, before the CBI court headed by special Judge N K Malhotra.

Misa and her husband came under CBI's scanner after farmhouse owned by former, located at 26, Palam Farms in South Delhi's Bijwasan area was attached provisionally under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Also Read: ED conducts raids at Misa Bharti's properties in benami land deal case

Although the property in Delhi reportedly belongs to Misa, it's held in the name of Ms Mishail Packers and Printers Private Limited, News18 reported. Bharti and her husband are allegedly the directors of Mishail Printers and Packers.

The ED said, "It was purchased using Rs 1.2 crore involved in money laundering in 2008-09."