Fodder Scam Verdict: Lalu Yadav Back in Jail; Congress Says CBI Acting Like Centre's 'Pet Parrot'

"For me, it is a matter of personal assurance that I had the privilege of arguing the PIL in Patna High Court in the early 1990's, which led to the CBI inquiry. Back then, it was strongly opposed by the then state government, which was headed by Lalu Prasad Yadav. Today's conviction teaches us that if you indulge in corruption, the law will catch up with you," says Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Senior RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui, a confidant of Lalu Prasad Yadav, said it was not right to comment on a judgment but the people were discussing how it is freedom for some and jail for others in the same case. "The layman is asking why it is jail for some and freedom for others? It is baffling how the BJP and JD(U) had predicted the verdict. This has created confusion among the people also," he said. "The case was on excess withdrawal from Deogarh treasury. Laluji has been charged with connivance as he was the finance minister then - the charge is not direct. The withdrawal had been taking place since 1977. There were several chief ministers who were in charge of the finance department when Laluji was not the finance minister or the chief minister so why is he being singled out?" Siddiqui asked. "Laluji's going to jail is not new for RJD. He had been sent to jail on earlier occasions and every time RJD bounced back with double the strength. That is why we are still number one in Bihar," he said.

Senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh has said that the party would move the high court against a special CBI court order convicting party chief Lalu Prasad in a fodder scam case today. "We will move the high court. There is no other alternative," he said, adding that besides fighting it legally, the party would go to the people and fight it politically.

Patna police have been put on high alert following the conviction of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. Heavy police cover has been deployed at the BJP office in the city.

JP Nadda calls Lalu's alliance with Congress an alliance of corruption.

The alliance between Congress and Lalu Yadav's party is an alliance of corruption,connivance and cheating the people of India, it is clear from the verdict of the court: Union Minister JP Nadda #FodderScamVerdict pic.twitter.com/5ryeV6rXIQ

— ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2017

BJP ATTACKS LALU | Union Minister JP Nadda addresses the media outside the Parliament over Lalu’s conviction in the fodder case. Says, “It was a Mahagatbandhan of corruption with the Congress and Lalu has been convicted now. Lalu Yadav should accept the decision of the court and he should not politicize this issue. Lalu should not blame the BJP. The corrupt has been punished by the court.”

There will be no cable television channels for Lalu Prasad Yadav at the Birsa Munda jail. He can only watch Doordarshan channels.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday filed a chargesheet against RJD chief Lalu Prasad's daughter Misa Bharti and her husband in a money laundering case. ED counsel Nitesh Rana filed the chargesheet before the court of Special Judge N K Malhotra.

DETAILS OF THE SCAM | Fake bills and vouchers were seized from various district treasuries. Money was withdrawn using fake bills and vouchers against procurement of cattle feed. More than 80 employees of the Bihar Animal Husbandry Department were found involved and later made accused in different cases of the fodder scam. In one instance Shyam Bihar Sinha, regional director of AHD, withdrew Rs 50 lakh personally against a fake bill. His close association with Lalu Prasad Yadav created a political storm.

RECAP | BJP leaders Saryu Rai and Sushil Modi along with Shivanand Tiwari raised the corruption issue in Bihar's animal husbandry department in the Bihar Assembly in 1994. The trio made several submissions before the authorities. The then finance secretary Vijay Shankar Dubey ordered a probe in various district treasuries. Young IAS officer Amit Khare raided the Chaibasa office of animal husbandry department and the seizures resulted in unearthing of a 100 crore scam.

RECAP | When Lalu Prasad Yadav became the Chief Minister after his advent on big political screen in post 1989 Janata Dal surge and Mandal era, the animal husbandry department of Bihar government became synonymous with corruption, which ultimately led to the fodder scam.

Lalu Yadav has been fighting this legal battle since 1996. It started when BJP leaders filed PIL against him in Patna HC. He & his lawyers are capable of fighting this case. I want to ask BJP why Srijan scam is not being investigated?: Congress leader Manish Tewari on Lalu's conviction in fodder scam.

Lalu Prasad Yadav has now been brought to Birsa Munda Central Jail after being convicted in one of the fodder scam case.

Lalu Prasad Yadav pledges to keep fighting for "justice".

देश के न्यायप्रिय और शांतिप्रिय साथियों हर षड्यंत्र से बचना होगा। हर हाल में लड़ना होगा। विजयपथ पर चलना होगा। जय हिंद

— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) December 23, 2017

LALU'S DECEMBER JINX | For over 40 years, Lalu Prasad, who claims to be a ‘Shiv Bhakt’ and believes in numerology, has been dreading the month of December. And rightly so. The RJD chief was convicted on Saturday, December 23, in second of the five fodder scam cases. Lalu started his political career during his college days and joined the JP movement against the Indira Gandhi government during the Emergency days. Lalu was first arrested in the 1970s in Patna under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) and spent an entire month, which was December, in jail.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s conviction by a special CBI court in the Deogarh Treasury Case, relating to the fodder scam, would mean it will be the ninth trip to jail for the former Bihar Chief Minister. The CBI court in Ranchi found Lalu convicted in the case while acquitting former CM Jagannath Mishra.

Lalu Prasad Yadav outside the court premises after being convicted in the fodder scam case.

#Visuals of Lalu Prasad Yadav outside Ranchi's Special CBI Court after being convicted in a #FodderScam case pic.twitter.com/BxValvnv8n

— ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2017

Convicted RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav gets poetic with his tweets.

ना ज़ोर चलेगा लाठी का
लालू लाल है माटी का।।

— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) December 23, 2017

RJD spokesperson Manoj Jha addresses the media along with other party leaders after the conviction of Lalu Prasad Yadav. (Image: News18)

Lalu has sent out 6 tweets after his conviction in the fodder scam case.

Had people like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Baba Saheb Ambedkar failed in their efforts, history would have treated them as villains. They still are villains for the biased, racist and caste-ist minds. No one should expect any different treatment.

— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) December 23, 2017

LALU COMPARES HIMSELF TO MANDELA | Lalu Prasad Yadav compares himself to legendary African leader Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King in his attack against BJP. He tweets, "Had people like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Baba Saheb Ambedkar failed in their efforts, history would have treated them as villains. They still are villains for the biased, racist and caste-ist minds. No one should expect any different treatment."

Lalu Prasad Yadav has taken to Twitter to launch a scathing attack on BJP after being convicted in the fodder scam. He has sent out a series of tweets. 

Powerful people and powerful classes always managed to divide society into ruling and the ruled classes. And whenever anyone from the lower hierarchy challenged this unjust order, they would be deliberately punished https://t.co/oDSIg7e0ie

— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) December 23, 2017

Lalu Prasad Yadav posts series of tweets right after being convicted in the fodder scam. Writes, "A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. ....But still prevails...In the end though."

Minutes after being convicted in the fodder scam, Lalu Prasad Yadav lashes out at BJP.

धूर्त भाजपा अपनी जुमलेबाज़ी व कारगुज़ारियों को छुपाने और वोट प्राप्त करने के लिए विपक्षियों का पब्लिक पर्सेप्शन बिगाड़ने के लिए राजनीति में अनैतिक और द्वेष की भावना से ग्रस्त गंदा खेल खेलती है।

— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) December 23, 2017

Lalu Prasad Yadav tweets minutes after conviction: "Truth can be made to appear as a lie, as ambiguous or a half lie by concerted onslaught of bias driven propaganda. But blurred layer of bias and hatred will still be removed, come what may! In end Truth will win."

Truth can be made to appear as a lie, as ambiguous or a half lie by concerted onslaught of bias driven propaganda. But blurred layer of bias and hatred will still be removed, come what may! In end Truth will win

— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) December 23, 2017

RJD TO MOVE HC | RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad says, "How is it possible that Jagannath Mishra is acquitted and Lalu Prasad Yadav is held guilty in the same case. How is this justified. We will approach the High Court."