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Assets case: Laloo, Rabri to record statements on Dec. 13
By Our Special Correspondent
PATNA, DEC. 7. The special CBI court directed the Bihar Chief Minister, Mrs. Rabri Devi, and the former Chief Minister and RJD President, Mr. Laloo Prasad Yadav, to record their statements in the disproportionate assets (DA) case on December 13 with the CBI's deposition coming to an end today.The special Judge, Mr. S. K. Mishra, issued the order after the last prosecution witness in the form of the former CBI SP, Mr. V. S. Kaumudi, concluding his deposition today.
Mrs. Rabri Devi will be appearing in the court for the first time after her surrender before it last year when she was granted a regular bail and exempted from personal appearance during the recording of evidences. Mr. Yadav, on a provisional bail, regularly attended the court, but its currently in judicial custody in connection with case No. RC 47A/9.
The CBI took almost a year-and-a-half to record evidences of its 131 witnesses, a score of whom turned hostile. Mr. Yadav is the main accused in the DA case No. 5A/98 in which he has been accused of amassing wealth amounting to Rs. 46 lakhs in excess of his known sources of income, while his wife and Chief Minister has been made co-accused.
Mr. Kaumudi denied that the DA case against Mr. Yadav have been filed under any political pressure or bias. He, however, admitted that he was not competent to summon the Army for having Mr. Yadav arrested in connection with the fodder scam case No. RC 20A/96. But he was not categorical about the competence of the joint director, Dr. U. N. Biswas, in this regard.
Donning a cervical collar, Mr. Yadav was present in the court, brought from the Patna Central Jail under tight security. He had been shifted from Ranchi to Patna for the purpose. He is once again required to be present at the designated court here on December 13, when he would be recording his statement in the light of the allegations levelled by the CBI.
Mrs. Rabri Devi would be following suit once Mr. Yadav is through with his deposition. The defence would put up its own witnesses to counter the prosecution claims.
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