The CBI had opposed the bail plea of Lalu Yadav.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed bail of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav who had sought to be relief to lead his party in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Yadav, who has been in hospital instead of jail after his sentencing in multi-crore fodder scam cases for last over eight months, has sought bail on medical grounds and for leading his party simultaneously.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had opposed his plea and told the Supreme Court that if former Bihar Chief Minister is granted bail, corporate honchos serving jail sentence in corruption cases will be emboldened to approach the top court for bail to carry out their usual business.
Not wanting to encourage such a practice, the CBI said that the apex court has always maintained a zero tolerance approach towards corruption cases and here was a man who as a Chief Minister of one of the largest states in the country misappropriated public wealth to the tune of Rs 950 crore in the fodder scam.
The CBI said that the ailing leader suddenly claimed to be "fully fit" to undertake political activities in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Accusing Yadav of undertaking political activities from a hospital in Ranchi, the probe agency said: "Simultaneous raising of pleas for bail on medical grounds and bail to guide the party and to carry out all essential responsibilities as a party president in ensuing Lok Sabha election are mutually contradictory and manifests that in the garb of bail on medical ground the petitioner in essence wants to pursue his political activities which is impermissible in law."
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, also comprising Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjive Khanna, rejected the prayer by Lalu's counsel, senior advocate Kapil Sibal saying that "we don't think we should release you on bail."
The bench rejected Yadav's arguments that he has been in jail for 24 months, saying in comparison to the 14-year sentence awarded to him, 24 months was nothing.
Sibal, appearing for Yadav, said there were no recoveries and no demand and the only major offence under which he was convicted was conspiracy.
The bench said merits of the case will be decided by the high court.
"At present, we are only hearing the bail appeal," it said.
(With PTI inputs)
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