Lalu’s bail hearing in Dumka treasury case deferred to November 27

The Jharkhand High Court on Friday deferred till November 27 RJD chief Lalu Prasad's bail plea hearing in a fodder scam case related to Dumka treasury, after the CBI sought time to file a written reply in the matter.

The former Bihar CM, convicted in four fodder scam cases, would be able to walk out of jail if he is granted bail in the case. He has already secured bail in three other cases.

Prasad's lawyer Kapil Sibal, who attended the court session virtually, said the ailing RJD chief, currently undergoing treatment at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi, has served more than half the sentence that was awarded to him in the case.

The CBI objected to Sibal's assertion and said that it would take some to time to file a written reply on Prasad's health condition and his incarceration in this case.

Sibal, however, claimed that the probe agency was "deliberately" delaying the matter.

Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh, after taking all arguments into consideration, postponed hearing in the case till November 27.

The case pertains to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 3.13 crore from Dumka treasury when Prasad was the chief minister of undivided Bihar.