Court accepts plea of Lalu

Patna, July 19 (UNI) Accepting the plea of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, special CBI judge of Patna Muni Lal Paswan today dispensed with Mr Prasads personal attendance in the court during the hearing to be held tomorrow in a case of multi-crore rupee fodder scam.

Mr Prasad's counsel Chitranjan Sinha through a petition pleaded that his client might be exempted from making personal attendance and instead his lawyer be allowed to appear during the proceedings.

While opposing the prayer, deputy law adviser of CBI L R Ansari said Mr Prasad was in Patna and there was no reason to appear in the court physically.

In the reply, counsel Mr Sinha said the Railway Minister was on a fixed official tour and hence he was unable to appear in the court physicaly tomorrow.

After hearing both sides, the judge allowed Mr Prasad to attend the court tomorrow in absentia.

UNI XC DH SJC YA DB2141