Ranchi: A special CBI court on Saturday sentenced former animal husbandry department director O.P. Diwakar to 14 years RI and fined Rs 60 lakh in fodder scam case RC 38 A/96 pertaining to illegal withdrawals from Dumka treasury during December 1995 and January 1996.
Diwakar was among the 19 accused, including RJD chief Lalu Prasad, who were sentenced by special CBI judge Shivpal Singh. Their conviction was announced on Match 19. Apparently, the court relied on the statement of accused turned approver Md Syed while convicting Diwakar.
In his deposition before the court, Syed had claimed that he had accompanied Diwakar to the official Patna residence of Lalu Prasad, who as Bihar chief minister was also looking after finance, to pay a bribe of Rs 20 lakh. He claimed the bribe was paid to forestall any probe in illegal withdrawals from the Dumka treasury. This was after then Bihar finance secretary V.S. Dubey had raised suspicions of illegal withdrawals. CBI prosecutor Rakesh Kumar said judge Singh's sentences on Saturday ranged from the minimum - jail term of three and half years - and maximum - 14 years - in addition to a minimum fine of Rs 15 lakh.
Seven suppliers were sentenced to three and-a-half years of RI and fined Rs 15 lakh under various sections of IPC.
AHD officials, namely, Bimal Kant Das, K.K. Prasad, Manoranjan Prasad, Nand Kishore Prasad, Raghu Nandan Prasad, Radha Mohan Mandal and Pitambar Jha (veterinary officer), Pankaj Mohan Bhoi (accountant) and S.K. Das (treasury assistant), held guilty under various sections of IPC and PC Act, were sentenced to seven years RI and fined Rs 30 lakh in all. Their sentencing would run consecutively.
Retired IAS and then Bihar finance commissioner Phoolchand Singh, held guilty under various sections of IPC and PC Act, has to undergo seven years RI and pay a fine of Rs 30 lakh. CBI, pursuing fodder scam investigations, has so far lodged 64 FIRs of which two were closed due to lack of evidence.
Lalu faced prosecution in seven cases including a disproportionate asset case. In the disproportionate asset case, the CBI could not prove charges against him.
In fodder scam cases, Lalu has been convicted in four so far. In RC 20A/96 (Rs 37.7 crore, Chaibasa treasury in West Singhbhum), he was sentenced to five yea's RI and fined Rs 25 lakh in 2013.
