Deoghar Fodder scam: Supreme Court issues notice in appeal against suspension of sentence, bail to Lalu Prasad Yadav

The Supreme Court today issued notice in Central Bureau of Investigation's appeal against the Jharkhand High Court order granting bail to former Bihar Chief Minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav in one of the fodder scam cases he has been convicted in..The order which was passed in July 2019 had also suspended the order of sentence. Notice to the former Bihar CM was issued by the three judge bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde..Jharkhand High Court grants Lalu Prasad Yadav bail in Fodder Scam case.In December 2017, Lalu Prasad Yadav was sentenced to a total imprisonment of seven years after being convicted for offences under Section 120B read with Section 420,467,468,471,477(A) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 13(i)(c)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act..A Special CBI Court in Ranchi pronounced its verdict in the case and held Prasad guilty. The case involved the embezzlement of Rs. 89 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury between 1991 and 1994. Prasad was Chief Minister of Bihar when the scam took place..Subsequently, in July 2019, the Jharkhand High Court had granted bail to the former Bihar Chief Minister in one of the fodder scam cases he has been convicted in, while also suspending the sentence. Earlier, in April 2019, the Supreme Court had, however, refused to allow bail with respect to three of the fodder scam cases involved..In its appeal before the Supreme Court, CBI has argued that the High Court erroneously suspended the sentence against Prasad, without any substantial change in circumstances..The CBI has also stated that Prasad was the kingpin, the main conspirator and benefactor who devised and executed the Fodder Scam Cases. The CBI asserts that Yadav abused his official position and fraudulently misappropriated Government money by withdrawing huge amounts in excess of actual allotments from District Treasury, Deoghar on the basis of forged allotment and sub-allotment letters..[Read the CBI's appeal].Read the Order: