Lalu’s sentencing postponed as advocate dies

Court issues contempt notice against party leaders

New Delhi: The quantum of sentence for Bihar’s former chief minister Lalu Yadav and others in a fodder scam case will be pronounced on Thursday. The sentencing was not pronounced on Wednesday due to the passing away of advocate Vindeshwari Prasad. A special CBI court had on December 23 had convicted the Rashtriya Janata Dal ( RJD) chief and 15 others in the case.

The court on Wednesday issued a contempt notice against RJD leaders for speaking against the conviction of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in a fodder scam case.

Lawyers said that the RJD chief ’ s son, Tejashwi Yadav, party vice- president Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Shivanand Tiwary and senior Congress leader Manish Tewary have been directed by the court to file their reply on January 23.

Reacting to the contempt notice issued against leaders of his party, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, who was also present in the court premises, said, “I haven’t seen the notice yet, but if the court wants my reply for giving statements in the fodder scam case, I will file the

same in a legal manner.”

“Statements were issued because we are planning to challenge the verdict in the high court,” he added.

The special CBI court is likely to pronounce the quantum of punishment for Lalu Yadav and 15 others in the fodder scam case on Thursday. The sentencing, which was scheduled for Wednesday, was deferred due to a condolence meeting held in the premises of the court to mourn the death of a lawyer.

The CBI court, on December 23, had found Lalu Yadav and others guilty of furnishing fake bills and vouchers for withdrawal of ` 89.27 lakh from Deoghar treasury for fodder procurement between 1991 and 1994. Lalu Yadav was the chief minister of Bihar during the period.

The court had completed the hearing in the case on December 13. Six others, including former chief minister Jagannath Mishra, were acquitted in the case.

According to lawyer Prabhat Kumar, “Lalu Yadav was present in the court, but he was sent back to Birsa Munda jail after the hearing was deferred for Thursday. He will be brought back to the court again on January 4.” He added that “the court has decided to hear the case in alphabetical order.”

◗ The sentencing, which was scheduled for Wednesday, was deferred due to a condolence meeting held in the premises of the court to mourn the death of a lawyer

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