RANCHI: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in Jharkhand High Court seeking to shift RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav back to Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi. The RJD chief, who was admitted to the paying ward of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi, was recently shifted to the
official residence of RIMS director, also known as Kelly Bungalow in the hospital campus.
The decision was taken by RIMS administration as a precautionary measure, looking at the soaring Covid-19 cases in Jharkhand. According to doctors looking after him, RJD chief is a chronic patient of hypertension, diabetes, heart, kidney, and several other ailments, and hence, he must be kept away from patients suffering from COVID-19.
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In the PIL filed by Manish Kumar on Monday, it has been alleged that the RJD Chief, sitting in the director’s bungalow, has been actively influencing the politics of Bihar which is going for Assembly polls very soon.
“Lalu Yadav, who is a convict in several fodder scam cases, is meeting hundreds of people every day while sitting in director’s bungalow, causing a direct influence on the politics of Bihar, which is a clear violation of jail manual. He must be shifted again to Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi which has all the facilities available for his treatment,” said petitioner’s advocate Manoj Tondon.
“In the PIL, a similar case related to Lalu Yadav has also been cited where he was lodged into BMP Guest House in Patna in the year 1998, but was again shifted to Beur Jail after the interference of Supreme Court,” said the advocate.
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According to Tondon, CBI Director, Home Secretary, Jharkhand government, Jail Superintendent, Union Home Secretary, and several others have been made respondents in the PIL.
After being convicted by a Special CBI Court in Ranchi on December 23, 2017, in the second fodder scam case involving the illegal withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from Deoghar treasury, the 72-year-old RJD Chief was lodged in Birsa Munda Central jail in Ranchi but was shifted to RIMS looking at his deteriorating health conditions.