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'Tudu' is second fodder scam accused to die

Soroor Ahmed in Patna

Ashok Kumar Tirki, alias Tudu, has become the first accused in the multi-million-rupee animal husbandry scandal to die in judicial custody. He was found dead in Beur central jail near Patna on the morning of Wednesday, April 28.

Though the 62-year-old retired treasury officer died a natural death, a section of the jail's inmates indulged in hooliganism to protest against the lack of facilities in the prison.

Tudu, a heart patient, was accused in the animal husbandry scandal case (RC-34A/96) involving fraudulent withdrawal of Rs11.6 million from the Godda treasury between August 8, 1992, and July 5, 1993.

Tudu was the treasury officer of Godda district between November 6, 1989, and July 7, 1993.

Only a few weeks back, the Central Bureau of Investigation had opposed Tudu's bail petition on medical grounds in the trial court.

The petitioner had said his condition had deteriorated to such an extent that the jail doctors had to often be summoned late at night to examine him. Tudu was even referred to the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, but was not admitted as the jail authorities refused to foot his bill.

The last time he was rushed to the Patna Medical College Hospital was on Monday (April 26), but again he could not be treated as doctors there went on a wildcat strike.

Tudu was one of the smaller fry in the huge scandal that is believed to have involved two former chief ministers [Laloo Prasad Yadav and Jagannath Mishra], one legislator each from the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, five senior Indian Administrative Service officers, and scores of big and small officials, employees and contractors.

A tribal hailing from Ranchi district, he was a trifle unlucky not to get bail from the Patna high court on health grounds though one of the alleged kingpins in the scandal, Shyam Bihari Sinha, was granted bail by the Supreme Court in 10 cases.

This is the first instance of a fodder scam accused dying in custody. Nearly two years ago, another accused, Harish Khandelwal, allegedly committed suicide just a few hours after being questioned at the Dhanbad office of the CBI in connection with case RC-20A/96.

In keeping with the guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission, the district administration videographed the post-mortem performed on Tudu's body at the PMC Hospital.

The Sadar sub-divisional officer has been directed to probe his death.

Ironically, none of the senior CBI officers, including the superintendent of police heading the Patna branch, was aware of Tudu's death till late on Wednesday afternoon.

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