RANCHI: In a big blow to RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, Jharkhand High Court on Friday turned down his application seeking three months extension to the provisional bail granted earlier to him on medical grounds and directed him to surrender before it expires on August 30.
A six-week provisional bail was first granted by the Jharkhand High Court on May 11 for the purpose of medical treatment on the conditions of restraining himself from any political activity and had also been asked to submit medical reports before the Court which was extended several times on similar grounds.
Supreme Court lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing on behalf of the RJD chief, pleaded for an extension of his provisional bail by three more months as he had once again been admitted to the Asian Heart Hospital in Mumbai after pus formation was diagnosed. Lalu had undergone an operation for fistulae a few weeks back in the same hospital. The CBI Counsel, protesting strongly against his submission, pleaded before the Court not to extend it further as proper care could be taken here in RIMS also.
"The Court did not extend the provision bail granted to Lalu ji and asked him to surrender on or before August 30 before the Court from where he will be sent to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences for treatment if required," said Lalu's counsel Prabhat Kumar. Turning down the application for extension of provision bail on medical grounds, the Court said that it could also be done in RIMS also, he added. "Referring to the other three operations advised by the doctors, the Court directed to file fresh applications," said Advocate Kumar.
Before granted provisional bail, Prasad was lodged in Birsa Munda Central Jail since December 23 after a Special CBI Court convicted and sentenced him for three-and-half-year jail term in a fodder scam case RC64A/96. Subsequently, he was sentenced in three other cases related to fodder scam.