Former Union Law Minister pleads for Lalu-Rabri in DA case

Patna, Jan 28 (UNI) Former Union Law Minister Ram Jethmalani today pleaded before the Patna High Court not to admit the challenge petition filed by the state government against the acquittal of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and Opposition leader Rabri Devi in the Disproportionate Asset(DA) case.

Aruguing before a single bench of Justice R K Dutta on the DA case, an off shoot of the multi-crore rupee fodder scam, the senior lawyer of the Supreme Court said Mr Prasad was a political leader and the case was an outcome of political vendatta.

Referring to the statement of DSP of CBI before the trial court, in which he had mentioned that he was totally unaware of the case and was surprised how his name figured in the FIR as an informant in its investigation, Mr Jethmalani said it all reflected that Mr Prasad and his wife had been implicated in the DA case.

Mr Jethmalani cited various judgements of the apex court and pleaded that the challenge petition should not be admitted.

The matter would be heared on February 16.

Earlier, on Deceber 18, 2006, the special CBI court of Patna had acquitted the Lalu-Rabri duo in the DA case with an observation that the evidences produced by the prosecution, were not enough to sentence the VIP couple in this connection. Later, Bihar government filed a petition in Patna High Court challenging the acquittal of the Lalu-Rabri duo in the case on February 16 last year.

UNI XC RS-RH LL SP HT1645