Patna HC to hear Bihar govts petition against Lalu-Rabri acquittal

The Patna High Court will today hear the Bihar Governments petition challenging the acquittal of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi in connection with a disproportionate assets case.

Patna, Sept 12 : The Patna High Court will today hear the Bihar Government's petition challenging the acquittal of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi in connection with a disproportionate assets case.

Justice R K Dutta had accepted the joint appeal of Akhileshwar Prasad Singh, B K Sinha and Anup Kumar, counsel of Bihar Government, CBI and Lalu-Rabri duo respectively, who sought adjournment of the case till today to enable their senior counsel from the Supreme Court to argue on behalf of their clients.

On February 19, the Bihar Government had filed a petition in the Patna High Court against the acquittal of Lalu and Rabri.

A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on December 18, 2006 had acquitted duo.The decision came as a major relief to duo in the case, which was pending since 1998.

Their income came under scrutiny after questions over what happened to the money allegedly siphoned off by the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief during the height of the fodder scam.

On March 11, 1996, the Patna High Court had directed the CBI to probe the fodder scam in which Lalu is one of the main accused. In the scam, the funds meant for cattle fodder were diverted from the animal husbandry department.

In the disproportionate assets case, the CBI had registered case against Lalu Yadav on August 19, 1998. According to the charges levelled, Lalu had amassed wealth to the tune of Rs 46,26,820 disproportionate to his known sources of income during the period 1990-97 as Bihar Chief Minister.

It was this case which had led the CBI to raid the Chief Minister's then official residence at 1, Anne Marg in Patna.

A chargesheet was filed against Lalu on April 4, 2000. Under the chargesheet, the name of Rabri Devi was also included as a co-accused for abetting her husband in the offence.

On April 5, 2000, Lalu and Rabri both surrendered before a CBI court. Rabri was granted bail, and Lalu was sent to jail. On May, 10, 2000, Lalu was granted provisional bail by the Patna High Court, which was extended on 25 occasions.

Charges were framed against them on June 9, 2000.

The court examined 94 prosecution witnesses, including Brigadier R P Nautial, ex-director general of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), A P Dorai, and Bihar Assembly Speaker the late Radhanandan Jha.

A total of 132 people, including a former CBI SP of Patna, V S K Kaumudi, deposed for the prosecution.

The FIR in the case was registered by Kaumudi under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

ANI