Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav was on Tuesday convicted of fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 139.35 crore from the Doranda treasury, his fifth conviction in the fodder scam case. 

The 73-year-old was found guilty by a special CBI court in Ranchi. The quantum of punishment will be pronounced on February 18, news agency PTI quoted a CBI counsel as saying. 

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The former Bihar chief minister, who was previously convicted in four cases related to the fodder scam in which he was named conspirator, was present in court today as the judgement was delivered. He arrived in Ranchi on Sunday to attend the court proceedings. 

Arguments in the Doranda treasury embezzlement case, in which a total of 99 stood accused, were wrapped up on January 29. A total of 170 indicuduals were originally accused in the case, of which 55 have died, seven have become government witnesses, six are absconding and two have accepted charges. 

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The Rs 950-crore scam relates to fraudulent withdrawal of public funds from government treasuries in various districts of undivided Bihar.

The RJD supremo, who has been sentenced to 14 years in prison and slapped with a total fine of Rs 60 lakh, has secured bail in the four cases related to Dumka, Deoghar and Chaibasa treasuries.

The fodder scam came to light in January 1996 after a raid at the Animal Husbandry Department. The CBI named Prasad as an accused in June 1997. The agency framed charges against Prasad and former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra.

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In September 2013, the trial court convicted Prasad, Mishra and 45 others in one of the cases related to the fodder scam and Prasad was imprisoned in Ranchi jail.

In December 2013, Supreme Court granted bail to Prasad in the case while in December 2017, CBI court found him and 15 others guilty and sent them to Birsa Munda prison.

Jharkhand High Court granted bail to Prasad in April 2021.