Patna: Lalu Prasad Yadav has some ‘devoted’ employees like none other. Just as the RJD chief was to be jailed in the fodder scam, his cook and attendant took no chance and cooked up a crime and ensured that they were already put behind the bars, waiting for Lalu at the Birsa Munda prison.

The 69-year-old politician was pronounced guilty in the 1997 fodder scam on December 23 and was immediately taken to the Birsa Munda prison. His cook Lakshman and attendant Madan Yadav already had their plan in place and had successfully persuaded a neighbour to lodge a complaint against the two.

Madan Yadav, who is a milkman and a resident of Ranchi, made his neighbour approach the Lower Bazar police station and file an FIR. The neighbour complained that that the two men had beaten him up and robbed him of Rs 10,000.

Just as the FIR was filed, a lawyer helped Madan and Lakshman surrender before a lower court from where they were sent to the Birsa Munda Central Prison where Lalu was also lodged after being found guilty in the Deoghar Treasury case of the fodder scam.

This, however, provided fodder to RJD’s rivals who wasted no time in hitting out at the party for indulging in “feudal practices” and getting attendants for Lalu inside the jail.

SHO of Lower Bazar police station Suman Kumar couldn’t be seen in office since the matter came to fore, while RJD has kept mum over the issue.

When News 18 spoke to the party chief spokesperson, Shakti Singh Yadav, he evaded the question saying, “Media is targeting Lalu for their benefit. I am not aware that Lakshman and Madan are serving Lalu inside the jail. I don't know anything.”

Ruling Janata Dal (United) lashed out at Lalu and RJD saying it shows “his feudal mindset that compelled him to hatch such a conspiracy”. Talking to News18, JD(U) general secretary Sanjay Jha demanded a probe in this matter.

Jha said, “It shows Lalu and his party have no regard for the legal process. The way RJD made Madan and Lakshman frame a case against themselves shows they have mastered perjury and fraud.”