In a major setback to RJD president and railway minister Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi, the Patna High Court has admitted for hearing the Bihar government?s appeal challenging their acquittal two years ago in a disproportionate assets case related to the fodder scam.
The decision also reflects poorly on the CBI, which had decided not to appeal against the verdict of the trial court which had acquitted Lalu Yadav and his wife in the case two years ago. When asked for his comments, Lalu Yadav only maintained, ?It is a judicial matter and we will face the battle in the court.?
The single judge bench of Justice RK Dutt, admitted it for hearing and called for the documents from the special CBI court, which had acquitted the duo. ?It appears that the CBI court has solely relied on Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) order exonerating the respondent, ? the judge said. State counsel Surendra Singh had claimed during the arguments that the trial court had ignored the evidences produced by the CBI in support of the DA case against the couple.