Lalu Prasad surrenders before CBI court in Ranchi

5. The Fodder scam | A corruption scandal that ended the long reign of Lalu Prasad Yadav was first brought to light through an investigative scoop by journalist Ravi S Jha, who was working with the Asian Age. Jha explicitly drew public and legal attention into the fodder scam that involved an apparent foul play in funds worth 950 crores. The coverage exposed the implicit involvement of the Bihar government and threw light on the corruption schemes that fabricated fodder, animal husbandry and other equipments.

RJD president and fodder scam convict Lalu Prasad today surrendered before a special CBI court here on expiry of his provisional bail. Prasad, who reached here from Patna yesterday, was directed by the Jharkhand High Court to surrender before the CBI court by August 30.

After his surrender before Judge S S Prasad, RJD chief's advocate Prabhat Kumar said his client had been suffering from various ailments.

At this, the judge directed doctors of the Birsa Munda Jail to consult doctors who were treating the former chief minister.

The judge also said that Lalu Prasad could also undergo treatment by doctor Umesh Prasad at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) here.

After being sent to jail in December last year following conviction in fodder scam cases, Prasad spent a considerable time at the RIMS Hospital in Ranchi and at the AIIMS at New Delhi, for treatment of various ailments. He was also treated at a Mumbai hospital for three weeks and was discharged on August 25.

He was released on six weeks' provisional bail on May 11 by the Jharkhand High Court for medical treatment and was restrained from taking part in any public function, political activity or issuing statements to the media during the period.

The high court had extended the period of Prasad's bail till August 27 and had refused to extend it further. He was ordered to surrender by August 30.