CBI seeks governor's nod for Laloo's prosecution

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Saturday approached Bihar Governor A R Kidwai for seeking sanction to prosecute Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav and others involved in the Rs 9.5 billion fodder scam.

CBI sleuths called on the governor and submitted to him the necessary documents.

Meanwhile, in a curious turn to the scam, an accused in the case committed suicide by throwing himself before a train near Barmasia railway crossing in Dhanbad district on Friday.

Official sources in Patna said Harish Khandelwal was accused of swindling over Rs 5 million through fake supply of medicines to the state animal husbandry department.

The sources said a letter recovered from Khandlewal's pocket accused the CBI of torture, with a view to turning him an approver in the case.

However, the CBI said it did not know whether Khandelwal committed suicide, was killed in an accident or murdered.

The bureau said the accused had been interrogated by CBI officials in Dhanbad for a couple of hours recently and summoned again to be questioned this week.

Asked whether the agency used ''third-degree methods'' of interrogation, he said, ''There is no question of torture or third-degree methods. The CBI does not employ any such method. And this man was never arrested.''

UNI

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