Supreme Court Refuses To Cancel Lalu Yadav Bail In Deoghar Fodder Scam Case

In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court of India has provided major relief to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. The apex court on Friday refused to entertain a plea filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking the cancellation of his bail in the Deoghar fodder scam case. This decision comes as a boost for the veteran leader who has been embroiled in multiple legal battles related to the multi-crore animal husbandry department scam.

Supreme Court's Observations and Ruling

The bench hearing the matter explicitly stated that it wasn't inclined to interfere with the High Court's order that granted bail to Lalu Prasad Yadav. One of the primary reasons cited by the Supreme Court for this refusal was the significant passage of time. The court noted that the CBI's appeal dated back to 2018, and since then, seven years have already elapsed. Given the duration, the court found it inappropriate to revoke the bail at this stage. However, while dismissing the CBI's plea, the Supreme Court directed the High Court to expedite the hearing of the cases involving the RJD supremo to ensure a timely conclusion of the legal proceedings.

Arguments Presented by the CBI

During the proceedings, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, representing the CBI, presented strong arguments against the continuation of Lalu Yadav's bail. The ASG pointed out that the RJD leader's bail application had been rejected twice previously. He argued that the High Court eventually granted bail on the premise that the accused had completed 50 percent of his sentence. The CBI contended that this calculation was fundamentally flawed. According to the probe agency, the High Court failed to consider that the sentences awarded in different cases weren't concurrent but were meant to be served consecutively. That's why, the claim of completing half the sentence was contested by the prosecution as being factually incorrect.

Background of the Fodder Scam

The fodder scam, which rocked the political landscape of Bihar and India in the 1990s, involves the fraudulent withdrawal of public funds from various government treasuries across different districts of Bihar. The scam first came to light in January 1996 following a series of raids conducted on the offices of the animal husbandry department. By June 1997, the CBI had officially named Lalu Prasad Yadav as an accused in the case. The total magnitude of the scam is estimated at 950 crore rupees, involving the illegal siphoning of money under the guise of purchasing cattle fodder and medicines.

Lalu Yadav's Involvement and Current Status

The RJD president was convicted in five separate cases related to the 950 crore rupees fodder scam. These incidents occurred between 1992 and 1995, a period during which Lalu Prasad Yadav served as the Chief Minister of Bihar and also held the portfolios of the Finance and Animal Husbandry departments. At that time, Bihar had not yet been partitioned to create Jharkhand, while lalu Yadav was among several high-profile politicians and officials found guilty in this massive corruption case. Currently, the former Chief Minister is out of prison on bail, which was granted primarily on the grounds of his deteriorating health and medical requirements. The Supreme Court's latest refusal to cancel this bail ensures that he remains out of custody while the legal process continues in the High Court.