Ranchi— The Jharkhand High Court on Friday sought a report from the state government as to who ordered the shifting of jailed RJD President Lalu Prasad from the paying ward at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) here to the Director’s bungalow.
The court sought the report by December 18. It also wanted to know the process of appointing ‘sewadars’ at RIMS Director’s bungalow when Lalu Prasad was shifted there.
The court was hearing a plea on alleged violation of the jail manual and special status accorded to the former Railway Minister, who was serving jail terms in several fodder scam cases but was admitted later to the RIMS for treatment.
The court wanted to know from the Inspector General of Police (Jails) and the Superintendent of Birsa Munda central jail, as to the order to shift Lalu Prasad to the bungalow from the paying ward and back.
The court also sought details of the last three months about the people who met Lalu Prasad during his stay in the bungalow.
The state government told the court that an SOP was formulated for the meetings of prisoners in jail with their family members and others.
The RJD leader landed in fresh controversy when a recorded telephone call was released by Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, in which Lalu talked to Bihar’s BJP legislator Lallan Paswan and asked him to remain absent during voting for the Assembly Speaker’s post.
Lalu Prasad is serving jail after conviction in four fodder scam cases. He was staying in the paying ward of RIMS for treatment but was shifted to RIMS Director’s bungalow on September 5 due to coronavirus fear. He was shifted back to the paying ward on November 26 after the audio of the telephone talk went viral.
One of the ‘sewadars’ appointed at the bungalow was said to be an RJD leader who was allegedly using his mobile phone to make phone calls for Lalu Prasad. -IANS
