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Patna HC grants Laloo bail

Our Correspondent in Patna

The Patna high court today granted provisional bail of three months to the RJD chief Laloo Yadav in the disproportionate asset case of 1998. He is likely to be released on Friday morning.

Delivering 19-page order, Justice Shashank Kumar Singh rejected the CBI plea that Laloo Yadav would tamper with the case and would threaten the witness, as he had not indulged in such practice in the past. However, the judge observed that the trial be disposed of at the earliest -- within six months.

This is the first case related to the animal husbandry scam in which the Patna high court has given him bail. In cases RC- 20 and RC-64 Laloo Yadav had to knock on the doors of the Supreme Court for bail.

The CBI counsel, Rakesh Kumar, had argued that Laloo Yadav had through his statement threatened the CBI on more than one occasion. He also showed the newspaper reports which said that the Home Guard Association had warned that if Laloo Yadav was not released it would take to the streets.

However, Laloo's lawyer, P N Pandey said his client had nothing to do with the Home Guards' statement and said that he had only opposed the political use of the CBI and had never obstructed the agency's functioning, which is being monitored by the Patna high court.

Later, talking to newsmen advocate general Chitranjan Sinha said he pleaded before the court that the CBI had increased the value of Laloo's property while it had decreased his income while assessing his asset.

Since Laloo Yadav is on provisional bail he can skip his court appearance only after seeking permission from the court a day before.

The RJD chief is likely to be released tomorrow morning, He surrendered before the CBI court on April 5 after the court ordered a non-bailable warrant against him and his wife, Chief Minister Rabri Devi. While Rabri Devi was given bail by the CBI court, Laloo's plea was rejected. Laloo Yadav had gone to jail for the third time and this was his shortest stay.

The news of bail spread like a wild fire all over the state and family members and partymen started their celebrations. However, no one from the family member was present in the court at the time the bail order was announced.

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