Fodder scam: Lalu Yadav faces setback as court admits CBI plea for harsher sentence

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav suffered a fresh setback ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, with the Jharkhand High Court admitting a petition by the CBI seeking enhancement of his sentence in the fodder scam. The petition, filed in connection with fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89 lakh from the Deoghar treasury, was admitted on Wednesday by a division bench of Justices Rongon Mukhopadhyay and Ambuj Nath. The CBI now has the liberty to press for an early hearing of its plea. Lalu Yadav was convicted in the case in 2018 and sentenced to three and a half years in prison. However, the CBI has sought a longer sentence, arguing that he was the prime accused and main conspirator. Citing the example of co-convict Jagdish Sharma, who was sentenced to seven years under two different sections of the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act, the agency wants similar punishment for the RJD supremo.