Going against the opinion of the Director of Prosecution (DoP) and his junior colleagues, CBI Director Ranjit Sinha has recommended that charges be dropped in three pending fodder scam cases against RJD chief Lalu Prasad. He has argued that most of the evidence, accused persons and ingredients of the allegations are the same as the one in which he was convicted last September.
In view of the difference of opinion, the issue has been forwarded to the Solicitor-General at the instance of the CBI chief.
Differing with the views of the DoP and senior CBI officers of the Patna Zone and Branch, Mr. Sinha is learnt to have opined that a person may not be tried for the same offence in another case — in which he has already been convicted — when the evidence is the same in both.
The three cases pertain to the alleged illegal withdrawal of Rs.3.13 crore from the Dumka treasury during December 1995-January 1996; Rs.84.53 lakh from the Deoghar treasury during 1990-94; and Rs.33.13 crore from the Chaibasa treasury during 1992-93.
Mr. Sinha has also citied court observations and judgments.