34 convicted in Jharkhand for fodder scam

A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Ranchi on Thursday convicted 34 people in a case pertaining to the infamous multi-million rupee fodder scam in Bihar's animal husbandry department in which Railway Minister Lalu Prasad is one of the main accused.

Justice Sanjay Prasad, the judge of the special CBI court, found the 34 guilty of illegally withdrawing Rs.14.7 million from the state's Dumka treasury by presenting fake bills for procurement of fodder.

A total of 46 people were accused in the case. Three of them died during the trial, three turned CBI approvers, three admitted their crime, one was acquitted by the court and two are at large.

The special court will pronounce the quantum of sentence June 19.

Sixty-three cases were lodged by the CBI in relation to the fodder scam in Bihar. Of them, 41 were transferred to Jharkhand after it was carved out of Bihar in November 2000.

Till now, special CBI courts have pronounced their judgements in 24 cases. Lalu Prasad is accused in five of the pending cases.