the Supreme Court has scheduled October 17 as the next hearing date for the appeal filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), challenging the bail granted to Lalu Prasad Yadav, the chief of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and former Bihar chief minister. The apex court's decision to postpone the proceedings came after the CBI's request for an earlier hearing date in September was turned down.

The CBI's appeal stems from its contention that Lalu Prasad Yadav's sentences should be served consecutively rather than concurrently. The agency has expressed strong opposition to the bail granted to Yadav by the Jharkhand High Court.

The bench responsible for hearing the case consists of Justice AS Bopanna and Justice MM Sundresh. In a notable move, the bench announced that the matter would be heard on a 'non-miscellaneous day', underscoring its significance.

During the initial courtroom exchange before the adjournment, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Lalu Prasad Yadav, vehemently argued against sending the septuagenarian leader back to jail. Sibal highlighted Yadav's recent kidney transplant and age, asserting, "He is 75 years old. And now, they want him to go to jail again. At this age, even after having served 42 months."

In response, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju countered Sibal's statement by saying, "He is playing badminton!"

Raju further contended that the bail orders were flawed as they considered the sentences in various cases, in which Yadav was convicted, to run concurrently instead of consecutively. He emphasized that bail had been granted based on an incorrect assumption regarding the nature of the sentences.

Sibal retorted to Raju's argument, humorously stating, "He is saying seven years and seven years, so 14 years before he is heard. This is what their question of law is."

Raju defended his stance by asserting that this interpretation was in line with the law as well as the court's past judgments, citing Section 427 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Justice Bopanna assured the involved parties, "Alright, we will hear it," adding a touch of levity, "As one lawyer said the other day, either we will hear before G20, or adjourn the hearing till after G20. This will be after the G20 summit."

The outcome of this legal battle could have far-reaching consequences for Lalu Prasad Yadav's legal situation and political future. As the new hearing date approaches, legal experts and political observers will be closely watching the proceedings and their implications.

Title of Case: State of Jharkhand versus Lalu Prasad, also known as Lalu Prasad Yadav - Special Leave Petition (Criminal) No. 1550 of 2020