Patna: JD-U (Janata Dal-United) parliamentary party leader Nitish Kumar today (Aug 11, 2004) accused the Centre of 'influencing' the trial in the Fodder Scam to bail out Railway Minister Laloo Prasad in the multi-crore scandal and said NDA (National Democratic Alliance) was seeking legal opinion to become an intervener in the case. "To keep Laloo in good humour, the Centre is influencing the trial against him in the Fodder Scam. NDA is seeking legal opinion to be an intervener in the case to expose the nefarious design of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government," Kumar told reporters after addressing party workers.

"The prosecution counsels pursuing the cases have been replaced by pliant ones to weaken the cases against Laloo," he claimed and referred to removal of CBI advocate L R Ansari in the special CBI court in Patna. "The new advocates are not properly pursuing the cases with the aim to weaken charges against Prasad," he alleged.

The Centre also 'influenced' the Income Tax Tribunal (ITT) to accept the Income tax return (ITR) filed by Laloo and his Chief Minister wife Rabri Devi, he charged.

BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) National Vice-President Sushil Kumar Modi had also levelled similar charges against the Centre yesterday (Aug 10, 2004).