SC order a huge setback for Lalu
Nemesis seems to be catching up with Rashtriya Janata Dal chief and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. Convicted in one fodder scam case in 2013 but roaming free on bail and indulging in all kinds of chicanery, he is in fresh trouble with the Supreme Court ordering on Monday that he be tried in four other fodder scam cases. Setting aside the Jharkhand High Court order which said that since Lalu Prasad has already been convicted in one fodder scam case there was no need to try him in the other cases, a bench of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Amitava Roy held that the trial would take place in all the cases on all the charges. Lest these cases drag on indefinitely the bench also directed that the trials be completed in nine months. The bench also took exception to delay by the CBI in filing the appeal against the High Court order. It ordered the CBI Director to hold an enquiry and fix responsibility for the delay. While the High Court had ruled that Lalu need not be tried for criminal conspiracy, the apex court held that Lalu’s trial would be on this charge too in all four new cases. Interestingly, Lalu will now have to apply for bail afresh. This opens up the possibility of his bail being cancelled.
Significantly and appropriately, the Supreme Court also questioned the Jharkhand High Court's handling of the case, stating the court should have been consistent in its findings and should not have given different views for different sets of accused in a case. The fodder scam related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 900 crore by the Animal Husbandry Department from various districts when Lalu was the chief minister. A CBI probe had uncovered that the fraud was part of a racket to bleed the exchequer by showing spends for fictitious medicines and fodder for cattle. The court ruling is seen as a major setback to the powerful regional satrap who was disqualified from Parliament and banned from contesting elections after he was convicted of corruption in 2013. He was found guilty of fraudulent withdrawals worth Rs 37.70 crore from the Chaibasa treasury. Now with four more cases against him, Lalu’s culpability would be on a much larger canvas.
The apex court ruling is expected to weaken his position in Bihar, where his RJD is in an alliance with chief minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) and his two sons are ministers. It is a matter of speculation whether JD (U) would continue its alliance with RJD and for how long. The BJP is leaving no stone unturned to see that Nitish ditches Lalu to go back to an alliance with it.