By IANS,
Ranchi : The trial in the Rs.950-crore (Rs.9.5 billion) scam in Bihar’s animal husbandry department, popularly referred to as the fodder scam, is getting delayed as three special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) courts are not functioning in the absence of judges.
Seven special CBI courts were constituted in Ranchi for the speedy trial in the scam, in which former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad and Jagannath Mishra are also accused.
“In special courts, additional district judges are posted. Three judges were transferred recently. We have approached the authorities to get the judges’ posts filled up,” a CBI source told IANS here.
According to CBI sources, more than Rs.950 crore were swindled in the name of fodder for animals by government officials with help of politicians and fake suppliers. At the directive of the Patna High Court, the investigation was handed over to the CBI.
The scam was unearthed in 1996 and when Jharkhand was carved out from Bihar in 2000, 53 of the 61 cases were transferred to the new state.
More than 230 people have been convicted in 30 cases and sentence quantum varies from three to seven years.