RANCHI/PATNA, Jan 24 - In more trouble for RJD chief Lalu Prasad, a special CBI court in Ranchi today sentenced him to five years in jail in a third case related to the multi- crore fodder scam.
Prasad and another former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra were sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment by the court of S S Prasad in the case related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.62 crore from Chaibasa treasury in the early 1990s.
The court also imposed Rs 10 lakh fine on him and Mishra on two counts of Rs 5 lakh each.
The RJD chief is already lodged in Birsa Munda jail in Ranchi since December 23 last year in connection with the second case of fodder scam related to illegal withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from Deogarh treasury.
Prasad was present in court when the sentence was pronounced today. With this judgement, Prasad has been convicted in three cases of the over Rs 900 crore fodder scam in Animal Husbandry department of undivided Bihar when the RJD was in power.
Two other cases pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 3.97 crore from the Dumka Treasury and Rs 184 crore from the Doranda Treasury are lined up against Prasad and others.
The Ranchi court sentenced Prasad under 120B, r/w section 409, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 477A of IPC for five years RI and imposed fine of Rs 5 lakh in connection with the case of fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.62 crore from Chaibasa Treasury in early 1990s.
He was also found guilty under section 13 (2) of Prevention of Corruption Act and imprisoned for five years and fined Rs 5 lakh. The court said the five-year prison terms would run concurrently.
On default of payment, both Mishra and Prasad will have to serve another one year term of simple imprisonment. � PTI
