Lalu Prasad Yadav appears before CBI court in fodder scam, denies charges

RANCHI: Appearing before a special court, RJD supremo and former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad today denied all allegations against him in a multi-crore fodder scam case, claiming they were baseless and aimed at ruining his political career.

Known for his rustic wit and humour, Lalu while accusing CBI of being biased and foisting false cases against him sought justice before the special CBI court of Pravas Kumar Singh, saying people are calling him "fodder thief".

"People call me chara chor (fodder thief), and traditionally Yadavs have been called ghas chor (thieves of grass). I have full faith in you sir, you do justice to me," Yadav said pleading innocence.

The judge recorded Lalu's statement in a fodder scam case pertaining to alleged fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore from Chaibasa Treasury between 1992 and 1995. Former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra also gave his statement. The statements of Lalu, Mishra and four others were recorded under CrPC 313.

Lalu, who took over three hours to record his statement, faces charges in six fodder cases---five in Ranchi and one in Patna. He had been acquitted by a Patna court in a DA case, related to the fodder scam, in 2006.

A total of 41 out of 53 cases were completed in convictions with over 300 persons being convicted in the Rs 950 crore scam that was unearthed in 1996.

Lalu put up a strong defence denying each of the charges put up by the judge ranging from his alleged protection to some of the fodder accused to whether the money fraudulently withdrawn was for meeting the expenses of political leaders and officials.

"Sir, all allegations against me are wrong and baseless. My political rivals in collusion with CBI officials have made false cases to dislodge and destabilise my government (in 1996) and spoil my political career sir, they want that I could not contest elections," Lalu said.

Stating that the scam has been there since 1977, Lalu accused the CBI of manipulating all files which they had taken in two trucks.