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Scam

Fodder Scam (1990s)

The Fodder Scam refers to a series of corruption cases in the (then) undivided state of Bihar, India, mainly during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

In essence, large-scale embezzlement of public funds occurred: money withdrawn from government treasuries in the name of purchasing cattle fodder, medicines, equipment etc., for animal-husbandry and related departments, but in many cases the companies/suppliers were fictitious or bills inflated.

The amount involved is estimated to be about ₹ 950 crore (approx) in some of the major cases.

The scandal implicated high-ranking politicians and bureaucrats, including former Chief Ministers of Bihar.

It had a big political fallout in Bihar: it damaged public perceptions of governance, impacted the ruling parties, and led to multiple criminal prosecutions.

27 Jan, 1996

Sources