Don’t miss the latest developments in business and finance.

Charges against Lalu framed in fodder case

Image
Our Political Bureau New Delhi/Ranchi
Last Updated : Feb 06 2013 | 7:14 AM IST
NDA gets another handle to beat RJD chief with in polls.
 
Charges were framed against Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra today by two special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) courts in the multi-crore-rupee fodder scam even as Prasad pleaded innocence, arguing that he was the person who had ordered filing of the cases.
 
Prasad, also the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief, faces charges under various sections like abusing official position for causing wrongful gains to self and others, using forged documents as genuine, falsification of accounts, cheating, misappropriation and conspiracy.
 
Pleading innocence before special CBI judge Sanjay Prasad, who framed the charges against the RJD chief and 146 others accused in the RC 47(A)/96 case pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 182 crore from the Doranda treasury in Ranchi, Prasad said he should be discharged from the case as it was he who had directed that cases be filed.
 
But CBI counsel BM Singh contended that Prasad's plea to be discharged did not stand scrutiny as the same court had earlier rejected his discharge petition in the same case.
 
The court of another special CBI judge, Alok Sengupta, also framed charges against Prasad, Mishra and 29 others accused in RC64(A)/96 case pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of over Rs 90 lakh from the Deoghar treasury. Here, too, the RJD chief pleaded for his discharge with the same argument, but the CBI counsel said the case had been filed by the CBI suo motu.
 
The framing of charges could not have come at a worse time. Prasad is in the middle of hectic bargaining of seats and the UPA has virtually decided to contest the forthcoming Bihar elections, projecting him as leader.
 
The Opposition will leave no stone unturned to use this development against him. It will also be hard for Prasad to justify his continuance in the Union Cabinet, when, for precisely the same reason Shibu Soren had to quit as minister.
 
The fact that Jharkhand is being ruled by the BJP and that the Arjun Munda government has taken extra pains to ensure the case against Prasad is put on the fast track is not a secret. Now, the chances are the Opposition's campaign will be Prasad-centric, with lack of governance being a central issue.
 
"Yes, Prasad's rivals will make this an issue, media will write. Even if they do not want to make it an issue, it has become one," said CPI leader D Raja, whose party, while being in the UPA, has joined hands with Ramvilas Paswan to defeat Prasad.

 
 

Also Read

First Published: Sep 27 2005 | 12:00 AM IST

Next Story