Laloo, Mishra may surrender on May 15

By Our Staff Correspondent

PATNA, MAY 11. The two former Chief Ministers, Mr. Laloo Prasad Yadav and Dr. Jagannath Mishra, are likely to surrender before the designated CBI court in Ranchi on May 15 in the light of the issuance of non-bailable warrants in a fresh conspiracy angle case of the fodder scam if they fail to receive any relief from the Patna High Court by then.

Mr. Yadav decided on his course of action after the Patna High Court deferred till May 14 hearing of his petition challenging the jurisdiction of the CBI court at Ranchi to try the new fodder scam case covering the conspiracy aspect. He has prayed for the cancellation of the chargesheet relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs. 182 crores from the Doranda treasury and stay the execution of the arrest warrant.

Dr. Mishra had decided to surrender soon after the designated court of Mr. A. B. Shekhar reserved its ruling on the petitions without granting an interim stay on the execution of the arrest warrants. The designated court is scheduled to pronounce its order on May 15.

The arrest warrants, returnable by May 22, have been delivered to the Bihar DGP, Mr. R. R. Prasad, who is now required to execute the same and report to the designated CBI court at Ranchi before the deadline.

The RJD spokesman, Mr. Shivanand Tiwari, said Mr. Yadav would surrender before the CBI court, Ranchi, if the High Court failed to provide any relief to him and dismissed his petition when it takes up for hearing on May 14.

While not wanting to embarrass his own party government by delaying things, Mr. Yadav, however, can rest be assured that he could surrender in peace minus the tension he had to experience in the past, thanks to the fact that the warrants are in the possession of the DGP.

Of significance also is the government's action notifying the new incumbents to preside the CBI courts here. While Mr. S. K. Mishra would handle fodder scam cases, Mr. Brajnandan Sahay could try non-fodder scam cases.

The importance of the move lies in the fact that once the court of Mr. Mishra resumes hearing witnesses in the disproportionate assets case, Mr. Yadav would get the opportunity for being shifted to the central jail, Beur, Patna, to be present during the trial in the eventuality of the designated court rejecting his bail petition and remanding him to judicial custody.

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