Ranchi, Feb 23 (IANS): The Jharkhand High Court on Friday rejected the bail plea of former Bihar Chief Minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad who is lodged in the Birsa Munda Central Jail here after his conviction in a fodder scam case.

Justice Apresh Kumar Singh rejected Lalu Prasad's bail plea after going through documents pertaining to his conviction by a CBI court in the fodder scam related to withdrawal of Rs 84.5 lakh from the Deoghar treasury.

The High Court said bail could be granted only when the convict had undergone half of the sentence awarded to him.

A special CBI court in Ranchi had convicted on December 23, 2017 and later sentenced Lalu Prasad to jail for three-and-half years in a case that pertained to withdrawals from the Deoghar treasury.

The quantum of punishment was pronounced on January 6, 2018, by CBI Special Judge Shivpal Singh, following which the former Railway Minister had appealed in the Ranchi High Court.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal chief got five-year imprisonment in Chaibasa treasury case. The High Court will hear the bail plea in the Chaibasa treasury case on March 9.

Last Friday, High Court Justice Apresh Kumar Singh had granted four-week provisional bail on health grounds to former Bihar Chief Minister and co-accused Jagannath Mishra.

Mishra was also handed out five-year jail and imposed a fine in the Chaibasa fodder scam case. He too had challenged the CBI court decision in the High Court.