High Court's Earlier Bail Stands as Supreme Court Keeps Relief for Lalu Yadav

Patna – On July 15, the Supreme Court affirmed the High Court’s earlier decision to grant bail to former RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in the feed scam investigation. After leaving his Kauliyath Nagar apartment, Yadav was welcomed by a throng of followers who documented the moment with selfies and words of encouragement.

In a concise press interaction, Yadav remarked, “I am pleased with the judgment.” The apex court declined to overturn the High Court’s order that suspended his sentence and left his bail intact.

The decision also preserved the relief extended by the Jharkhand High Court in a separate case involving illegal withdrawals from the Deoghar treasury. The Supreme Court instructed the Jharkhand bench to adjudicate Yadav’s outstanding criminal appeal within six months.

The bench, consisting of Justices M.M. Sundresh and P.B. Varale, highlighted that nearly seven years had elapsed since the High Court’s original order, making additional judicial intervention unnecessary. They further urged a swift hearing of the appeal that has been pending since 2018.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had challenged the High Court’s July 12, 2019 order, claiming the calculation of Yadav’s “half‑sentence” was flawed. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Yadav, argued that any decision on whether sentences run concurrently or consecutively must await the final appeal.