Ranchi, Dec 10 (IANS) A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court Thursday convicted 48 people in a multi-million fodder scam case related to the fraudulent withdrawal of crores of Rupees from the Ranchi treasury on the basis of fake bills.

Special CBI court of S.K Dubey pronounced the judgment in the RC 44 A/96 case which is related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs.8.60 crore from the Ranchi treasury. There were total 58 accused in the case. Four died during the trial and two turned CBI approvers.

The special CBI court Thursday convicted 48 accused and acquitted four. The court also awarded two-three years sentence on eight accused and slapped fine between Rs.20,000 and Rs.40,000. The quantum of sentence against the remaining 40 convicted will be pronounced Dec 15.

The multi-million fodder scam surfaced in 1996 during undivided Bihar. A total of 61 cases were transferred to Jharkhand after it was carved out of Bihar in November 2000. The special CBI courts have passed judgment in 32 cases.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad and former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra are accused in five cases, and the trial is going on in the CBI courts of Ranchi.