A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Jharkhand Tuesday framed charges against Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and 38 others in a case related to the multibillion rupee misappropriation scam popularly known as the fodder scam.

Besides Lalu Prasad, the special court also framed charges against former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra and several senior bureaucrats in a case of alleged fraudulent withdrawals by the animal husbandry department of over Rs.37 million from the Dumka treasury in 1995-96.

The charges were framed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code relating to conspiracy, misappropriation of government funds, cheating and forgery and under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The charges were framed against 39 of the total 49 accused.

Six of the accused have already died, three of them turned approver and one was absent when the charges were charges were framed.

With the charges being framed, the trial in the case can begin.

Last month, charges were framed against the railway minister and 69 other accused in another fodder scam case, also related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs.370 million from the Chaibasa treasury. Lalu had appeared in the court when the charges were framed.

After the formation of Jharkhand in 2000, 39 of the 61 fodder scam cases were transferred to it from Bihar. Lalu Prasad had opposed the transfer and moved the Supreme Court. But the apex court had upheld the decision as the cases were related to Jharkhand.

The multibillion-rupee fodder scam had surfaced in 1996 and at the directive of Patna High Court the scam investigation was handed over to the CBI. Lalu Prasad has been accused in six of the fodder scam cases. He had to relinquish the post of chief minister in 1997 after a warrant was issued by court in one of the cases.