Ranchi: Special CBI court in Ranchi sentenced 3.5-year jail term to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Saturday in multi-crore Fodder Scam after he was convicted on December 23rd, 2017.
Lalu Yadav was also awarded a fine of Rs 5 lakh by the Ranchi court.
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“We have faith in courts. He has to get bail. We will not worry, we are strong,” Tej Pratap Yadav said after Lalu quantum of punishment was announced.
“We welcome this judgement, this will prove to be a historic decision in Bihar politics. It is the end of a chapter,” JDU leader KC Tyagi said.
Lalu has been sentenced in the case relating to embezzling of more than Rs 89 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury between 1991 and 1994.
The Special CBI judge Shivpal Singh pronounced quantum of sentence via video conferencing.
The court also said if he fails to furnish the fine, his jail term would extend by six months.
Apart from Lalu, Mishra and 20 others accused were present in the court when the quantum of sentence was pronounced. There were tight security arrangements outside the court.
On December 3, the court had pronounced Lalu and 14 others guilty in the case. Seven other accused were acquitted including former Bihar CM Jagannath Mishra.
Lalu Prasad had, on Friday, sought a minimum punishment citing health issues. In his plea, Lalu mentioned, “I have no role in this scam directly; consider minimum punishment keeping in view my age and on health grounds.”