Former Assistant Director, Animal Husbandry Department and fodder scam convict K M Prasad was today fined Rs 1.5 crore and sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment by a special CBI court.
When Prasad pleaded for leniency, he was pulled up by the judge Pravas Kumar Singh.
"I have gone through the documents. You have committed forgery and were deeply involved into it (scam)," the judge said when Prasad pleaded ignorance during the sentencing through video-conferencing.
The case related to the fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore from the Chaibasa treasury during the Lalu Prasad-headed RJD government in the 1990s.
When sitting MP Jagdish Sharma also pleaded innocence, the judge said he could approach the high court.
All the 37 convicts came turn by turn to the conference room at the Birsa Munda Central Jail, while the video conferencing room at the court was packed.
