Kidwai to seek AG’s opinion on Laloo trial

NEW DELHI, May 7: Even as CBI director Joginder Singh began discussions with joint director (East) U N Biswas today at the agency's headqua...

NEW DELHI, May 7: Even as CBI director Joginder Singh began discussions with joint director (East) U N Biswas today at the agency’s headquarters before formally sending letters seeking sanction to prosecute Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav and others, Governor A R Kidwai said he would be consulting the Attorney-General of India in the fodder scam.

Soon after meeting Union Home Minister Indrajit Gupta in his Parliament House chamber here, Kidwai said he would be seeking legal opinion in the matter after he received the CBI’s request including that of the Attorney General of India.

Governor’s observations assume significance in the context that Laloo Prasad may not be charge-sheeted immediately in the case and Kidwai would apply his mind and resort to seeking legal opinion before giving his sanction, if any. This may dampen the spirit of anti-Laloo forces within the United Front and outside who had thought that the sanctioning authority would merely sign on the dotted lines.

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Even Laloo’s staunch critic, CPM general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet, was evasive when questioned about the resignation of Bihar Chief Minister. Surjeet held a long meeting with the Prime Minister today before the Union Cabinet met.

When asked about Laloo’s fate, he said,“let’s see.” He would not say whether the United Front’s steering committee meeting slated for May 10 would take up the issue of Bihar Chief Minister. It is learnt that Laloo Prasad Yadav is coming here to attend the meeting.

Former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra and Union Minister Chandradeo Prasad Verma are among the 56 accused in the Rs 950 crore fodder scam. Joginder Singh held a high-level meeting soon after Biswas landed in the Capital which was attended by Special Director D R Kartikeyan among others. It is learnt that Biswas brought with him files relating to other charge-sheets to be filed in other cases relating to the fodder scam implicating the Bihar Chief Minister. So far, Laloo Prasad Yadav is being implicated in one of the 46 FIRs registered in the fodder scam.

All these documents were being examined and re-examined by the legal experts of the CBI before the request is sent to the Governor.

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Meanwhile, Prime Minster Gujral is learnt to have made it clear to Joginder Singh during what is described as his first 30-minute “courtesy call” yesterday that he should strictly be guided by the evidence on record and the law. Gujral had also told him that there was no need for him to call on him as frequently as he used to meet his predecessor.

He cautioned Joginder Singh about rushing to the press every now and then as the judiciary and the country were watching his performance. A denial issued by the CBI’s official spokesman that “no case was discussed” with the Prime Minister when the director met him yesterday and reports in a section of the press (not The Indian Express) were wrong.