Modi takes veiled shot at Lalu, says ex-CMs 'rotting' in jail for corruption

New Delhi: In a veiled attack on jailed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said, "till today people believed that nothing can happen to the rich, but things are different now".

"Ex-chief ministers are rotting in jail for corruption," he said.

Speaking at a NCC rally, Modi on Sunday sought youths' cooperation in his fight against corruption, saying none will be spared in his anti-graft exercise.

Special CBI court in Ranchi on Wednesday sentenced the RJD chief and former chief minister of Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav to 5 years in jail in the third fodder scam case.

Along with Lalu, another former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra, was also sentenced to five years in prison in the case.

Both Lalu and Mishra were also fined Rs 5 lakh each by the Ranchi court.

The conviction and the quantum of punishment was delivered in a case related to the Chaibasa Treasury from which Rs 33.67 crore were siphoned off against the actual allocation of just Rs 7.10 lakh in 1992-93.

Lalu Yadav was named the main conspirator in this case.

Lalu Prasad is already convicted in another fodder scam case and was sentenced to three and a half years in jail earlier in January.

The last case dealt with fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89 lakh from the Deoghar district treasury between 1990 and 1994.

Former Haryana Chief Minister O P Chautala is also in jail in connection with a corruption case.

(With inputs from PTI)