CBI seeks nod to prosecute Laloo in another case

Just 24 hours after the Patna high court took the Central Bureau of Investigation to task for delaying the Rs 9.5 billion fodder scam, the agency has sought Governor A R Kidwai's permission to prosecute former Bihar chief minister Laloo Prasad Yadav in another segment -- RC 64/96 -- of the case.

The second draft chargesheet, dealing with the conspiracy angle in the case, was submitted on Saturday to the governor's principal secretary, C R Venkataraman, by CBI Deputy Inspector General R N Kaul and Superintendent of Police V S Kaumudi.

In all 17 people have been charged in the case.

Former CBI director Joginder Singh had cleared the submission of the chargesheet in the case before his transfer.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday directed that former Union minister Jagannath Mishra, an accused in the scam, should not be arrested till September 10.

The court said this direction was being issued in view of the fact that Mishra's regular bail application was likely to be heard and disposed of by the Patna high court by then.

A three-judge Supreme Court bench comprising Justices M K Mukherjee, S P Kurdukar and K T Thomas said it had not not gone into the merit of the case.

UNI

EARLIER REPORT:
Patna high court blasts CBI chief