In a significant development in the long-standing fodder scam case, the Special CBI Court of Ranchi has sentenced 36 accused to four years in prison and imposed substantial fines. This case is related to the fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 36.59 crore from the Doranda treasury in undivided Bihar during the years 1990 to 1995.
The sentencing, which took place on Friday, saw Special CBI Judge Vishal Srivastav pronounce the quantum of punishment for the 35 convicts, who were once suppliers and officers of the Bihar Animal Husbandry Department. These individuals had been found guilty by the court earlier in the week.
Notably, former department officials Gauri Shankar Prasad received a fine of Rs 1 crore, Sharad Kumar was fined Rs 40.4 lakh, and Bijayaeshwari Prasad Sinha was fined Rs 36.1 lakh as part of their sentences.
Out of the 124 accused initially charged in this case, 35 were acquitted, and 54 received various sentences, with the maximum being three years, on August 28.
The fodder scam, which involved the fraudulent withdrawal of crores of rupees from treasuries like Doranda, Deoghar, Dumka, and Chaibasa, came to light in the 1990s when Jharkhand was still part of Bihar. High-profile politicians like RJD president and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad were also convicted in the case, with Lalu Prasad currently out on bail due to ill health.
This case, marked by its complexity and decades-long legal proceedings, has been a significant chapter in India's legal history. The recent sentencing represents a notable step toward resolving one of the most enduring corruption cases in the country.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the LatestLaws staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source Link
Picture Source :
