1617 of 1996 and 602 of 1996 were filed in the Patna High Court alleging large scale misappropriation of public funds to the extent of several hundred crores of rupees by indulging into fraudulent transactions and falsification of accounts in the Animal Husbandry Department in the State of Bihar over a long period between the years 1977 78 to 1995 96 which has companye to be known as Fodder Scam.
on 4.10.1996 according to the order of the Chief Justice of the High Court.
of Animal Husbandry in the State of Bihar during 1977 78 to 1995 96 and lodge cases where the drawals are found to be fraudulent in character and take the investigation in those cases to its logical end as early as possible, preferably, within four months.
5177 of 1996 and 5178 83 of 1996 were filed by special leave in this Court.
The High Court by an order dated 1l.3.1996 directed the investigation to be entrusted to the Central Bureau of Investigation CBI and further directed as under I would accordingly direct the Central Bureau of Investigation CBI through its Director to enquire and scrutinise all cases of excess drawals and expenditure in the Deptt.
These appeals by special leave are against the order dated 7.10.1996 passed by the Patna High Court in CWJC No.
These appeals are preferred against this order of the High Court.
1996 3 SCC 682 at 684 685 Pursuant to the above order of this Court the CBI has been reporting the progress of the investigation to the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court.
This Court disposed of these appeals by order dated March 19, 1996.
The order of the Division Bench of the High Court in paragraph 54, to the effect that.
also of the opinion that, to alleviate the apprehensions of the state about the companytrol of the investigation by the CBI, it should be under the overall companytrol and supervision of the Patna High Court.
The High Court and the State Government shall companyoperate in assigning adequate number of special judges to deal with the cases expeditiously so that numberevidence may be lost.
Aggrieved by this order of the High Court, Civil Appeal Nos.
Writ Petitions numbered as CWJC Nos.
Ranchi Zila Samta Party Anr.
investigation by the State police in cases already instituted shall remain suspended, is modified.
Emphasis supplied State of Bihar Anr.
The material facts leading to these appeals, in briefs are stated here after.
Leave granted.
An in depth investigation into the Fodder Scam was called for .
1617 of 1996 and CWJC Now 602 of 1996.
Division Bench of the High Court in the impugned judgment, expeditious follow up action shall be taken.
The entire investigation number stands entrusted to the CBI as aforesaid.
After the investigation is over and reports are finalised, as indicated by the.
directing as under We.
The Joint Director of the CBI, Dr. U.N. Biswas, submitted a report of the investigation carried out by him to the Chief Justice of the High Court on 3.10.1996 and also made an application for extension of time since the High Court had directed companypletion of the investigation preferably within period of four months in its order dated 11.3.1996.
This application for extension of time was listed for hearing before a Division Bench of the High Court Coram S.N. Jha, and S.J. Mukhopadhayaa, JJ.
