Lalu Prasad surrenders in Ranchi CBI court
Ranchi, Aug 30 : Former Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Thursday surrendered in a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court here to serve his sentence in a fodder scam case.
Lalu Prasad surrendered before Justice S.S. Prasad, who sent him to the Birsa Munda Central Jail.
From jail he could later be shifted to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) for treatment, the judge said. The Jharkhand High Court on August 24 had directed him to surrender by August 30. He was out on provisional bail since May 11.
The RJD chief arrived here in Jharkhand late on Wednesday to surrender in the court.
State leaders including former Union Minister and Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahay and former Jharkhand Chief Ministers -- Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Hemant Soren and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajantarik chief Babulal Marandi -- met him at a guest house where he was staying.
Before surrendering, Lalu Prasad told reporters: "I have faith in the judiciary." He was in Ranchi's Birsa Munda Central Jail after being convicted in December 2017 in a fodder scam case.
He was convicted in two more cases in January and March and awarded 14 years imprisonment. In 2013, Lalu Prasad was convicted in the first fodder scam case and sentenced to jail for five years.
The multi-million fodder scam had surfaced in the 1990s when he was the Bihar Chief Minister. At the directive of the Patna High Court, the probe was handed over to the CBI.
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Mayawati criticises 'hasty' passage of Waqf Bill, says BSP does not support it
Lucknow (PTI): Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Friday criticised the central government for "rushing" the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, saying that the legislation should have been introduced only after addressing people's concerns and clarifying doubts.
Her remarks came after the Rajya Sabha passed the Bill late Thursday night, a day after its approval in the Lok Sabha, where the opposition strongly opposed it.
"After listening to both the ruling party and the opposition in Parliament on the Waqf Amendment Bill, the conclusion is that if the central government had given the public more time to understand the Bill and addressed all their concerns before bringing it forward, it would have been better," Mayawati posted on X in Hindi.
The BSP leader further expressed disappointment over what she termed as the government's "haste" in passing the Bill.
"It is unfortunate that the government hurriedly introduced and passed this Bill, which is not appropriate. Now that it has been passed, if governments misuse it, then the BSP will stand firmly with the Muslim community. In other words, the party does not support this Bill," she added.
