Quantum of sentence to Lalu to be pronounced on Saturday

Ranchi, January 5

The special CBI court in Ranchi on Friday completed the hearing on the quantum of sentence against RJD chief Lalu Prasad and others in connection with a fodder scam case, while it would pronounce the jail terms to them on Saturday.
The special CBI court of Shivpal Singh was hearing the quantum of punishment against Lalu Prasad and others as the former Bihar Chief Minister and others were produced through video conferencing from Birsa Munda central jail.
The court would pronounce its verdict on jail terms on Saturday afternoon.
The court had held them guilty on December 23 in connection with fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from Dewghar Treasury of Jharkhand between 1994 and 1996.
The court had acquitted six others, including another former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra.
Lalu’s counsel outside the court said: “For minimum punishment to be awarded to Lalu Prasad, we appealed to the court on account of his poor health. Laluji is a diabetic and had his heart valve replaced and suffers other diseases too.”
As per legal experts and senior advocate of Patna High Court Y V Giri, the court might punish Lalu Prasad from 3 to 7 years but the court has the discretionary power to pronounce the quantum of sentence.
The RJD supporters were found crowded outside the court premises again today.
The announcement of quantum of punishment was deferred twice since Wednesday.
This is the second fodder scam case in which the RJD supremo has been convicted. There are three more fodder scam cases pending against him.