Here's how Lalu Yadav's closest aides found way to jail before his arrival

Patna: Ahead of Lalu Prasad Yadav ending up in prison for the fodder-scam case, two of his closest aides made sure they were arrested and in the same jail before he even walked in.

Nothing else can probably explain why Laxman Mahto and Madan Yadav, known to be in Lalu Yadav's inner circle, had cases of theft registered against them, surrendered and arrived at Ranchi's Birsa Munda jail hours before the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) top boss walked in on December 23.

Laxman Mahto is a known face as Lalu's personal aide and helper while Madan Yadav was his active sidekick whenever he was in Ranchi.

Madan Yadav's neighbour in Ranchi lodged a case of beating and theft of Rs 10,000 against Yadav and Mahto. Initially, the police had refused to register the case, but they went to another police station.

The instance the FIR was lodged, the two surrendered in court and were sent to prison.

Earlier in 2013, when Lalu Prasad Yadav had gone to jail for another fodder-scam case, Madan Yadav had used the same trick to get to prison before him.

Laxman Mahto didn't have to, because Lalu Prasad's RJD was in alliance with the Jharkhand government at the time, and political influence could open the gates anywhere.

Lalu Yadav, 69, has been jailed for three-and-a-half years in a case linked to the fodder scam involving the embezzlement of more than Rs 89 lakh in government funds between 1991 and 1994.