Fodder scam: Lalu Prasad Yadav's sentencing likely today

Ranchi: A special CBI court in Ranchi is likely to pronounce the quantum of sentence for Bihar's former chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Yadav and others in a fodder scam case on Thursday.

The fodder scam case is listed at the seventh number in the court today. 

The court had on Wednesday deferred sentencing till today due to the passing away of advocate Vindeshwari Prasad.

The special court had on December 23 convicted the RJD chief and 15 others in the case related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 84.5 lakh from the Deoghar district treasury between 1990 and 1994.

Lalu Prasad's lawyers had earlier said that they would press for minimum punishment in the case.

"Lalu is 70 years old and suffering from many diseases. We will seek minimum punishment for him", one of the lawyers said.

He was first time convicted in another fodder scam case in 2013, and was awarded five years in prison.

The former chief minister of Bihar is at present lodged in Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi
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The CBI court had acquitted another former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra and five others in the same case. 

Lalu Prasad was the Chief Minister of then undivided Bihar from 1990 to 1997.

The trial in the case was completed on December 13 in the special CBI court and 10 days later, he was convicted on December 23.

There were 34 accused in the case, out of which 11 died during the trial, while one turned CBI approver and admitted to the crime. 

The 16 convicted people include three former IAS officials Phoolchand Mandal, Beck Julius and Mahesh Prasad.

Lalu Prasad is also facing trial in three more cases relating to the fodder scam, also known as "Chara Ghotala".