Bihar govt plans schools in Lalu Prasads confiscated fodder scam properties
PATNA: The multi-crore fodder scam has once again come into focus after Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and State Home Minister Samrat Chaudhary announced on Saturday that government schools would be opened in buildings previously confiscated from the accused. Chaudhary told the media that action would be initiated against those involved in the Rs 950-crore Animal Husbandry Department (AHD) scam, better known as the fodder scam, and that government schools would be set up in confiscated properties. Bihar former Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad is among the prime accused in the AHD scam, which was probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Government will open schools in Lalu Yadavs property amassed through unlawful means, Chaudhary said. He noted that the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) had confiscated several of Lalu Yadavs properties, including a building near the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park, also known as the Patna Zoo, in the state capital. The building is closed for several years, he remarked. The building has been locked for over 20 years. Government has planned to open a school for children. Before that entire building will be renovated. Lalu Yadav and people of Bihar will also like it if a school is opened in the building, he asserted. Chaudhary also called Lalu Yadav a registered offender. He has been held guilty by the court of law, and he is serving sentence in the AHD scam. This is a proven fact and nobody can deny it, he added. In response to a media query, Chaudhary said the government will confiscate properties of criminals and open schools for children. Strict action will be initiated against the criminals, whosever they may be. They will have to spend time in jail, he said. Chaudhary received support from Janata Dal (United) on the issue of opening schools in confiscated properties. Not only schools, even shelter homes will be opened there, JD(U) MLA Neeraj Kumar said, reacting to the deputy CMs statement. The AHD scam shook Bihar in 1996 when Lalu Prasad was the Chief Minister. The scam implicated politicians, including Lalu Prasad and Jagannath Mishra, along with bureaucrats, for creating fraudulent withdrawals from government treasuries through fake bills for livestock feed and medicines. Recently, the state building construction department issued a notice to former Bihar Chief Minister and Lalu Yadavs wife Rabri Devi to vacate her official residence at 10 Circular Road and move to another location allotted by the department. However, Lalu and Rabri have refused to vacate the government bungalow where they have been living for the past 20 years. RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui earlier said that the RJDs first family would shift to a private house being built at Mahuabagh near Danapur in Patna if they are required to vacate the 10 Circular Road residence.
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