HC deferred hearing on Lalu-Rabri acquittal in DA case

Patna, Sep 24 (UNI) Patna High Court today deferred till October 31 the hearing on the petition filed by the Bihar government challenging acquittal of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and former chief minister Rabri Devi by a lower court in connection with the disproportionate assets (DA) case.

Mr Ranjan Sinha, counsel of Mr Prasad told the court of Justice R K Dutta that his client was preparing to challenge the High Courts decision for admitting the petition of the state government challenging acquittal of the VIP couple in the Supreme Court.

The counsel requested the judge to defer the hearing on the matter till the petition was filed before the apex court.

Considering the request of the counsel of Mr Prasad, the judge deferred the hearing till October 31.

Earlier on September 20 Justice R K Datta had observed that the petition of the state government was 'maintainable'.

Through a petition, the Government had challenged the acquittal of the duo in the DA case by the lower court.

Appearing on behalf of the VIP couple, senior advocate of the Supreme Court Ram Jethmalani, had told the court that CBI was the only competent authority to challenge the acquittal of the duo as it had investigated into the multi crore rupee fodder scam case.

Bihar government had filed a petition in February in Patna High Court challenging the duo's acquittal by a lower court in connection with the DA case.

The DA case instituted by the CBI is an off shoot of the multi crore rupee fodder scam. In this case the Railway Minister had been charged with amassing property over Rs 50 lakhs beyond all known sources of his income and his wife Rabri Devi had been accused of abetting her husband in collecting the wealth.

UNI