Home India Govt denies flight, Lalu Yadav boards Rajdhani Express for treatment at AIIMS

Govt denies flight, Lalu Yadav boards Rajdhani Express for treatment at AIIMS

Lalu Yadav's counsel Prabhat Kumar and RJD State president Annapurna Devi alleged that the state government turned down a request by Yadav for sending him to Delhi by flight

As he was brought to the station under heavy security, slogans like “Jail ka phatak tootega, Lalu chootega (Gate of jail will be broken and Lalu Prasad will walk free)” were chanted by the supporters. (IANS photo)

RJD president and former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav, who was admitted at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi since March 17 following health issues, left for All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Wednesday. Yadav left RIMS following recommendation from the hospital authorities and permission from special CBI court as his condition was not improving there.

Lalu’s counsel Prabhat Kumar and RJD State president Annapurna Devi alleged that the state government turned down a request by Yadav for sending him to Delhi by flight, the cost of which was to be borne by him. Therefore, he left by train.

Efforts to reach Principal Secretary (Home) S K G Rahate did not yield the result. IG (Prisons) Harsh Mangla could also not be contacted.

The RJD chief boarded the Rajdhani Express Wednesday evening. Many leaders, including former MLAs, are accompanying him. “He had written to the state government seeking permission to be taken to Delhi by flight, but it was refused. The attitude of the government is highly non-cooperative,” said Annapurna Devi.

Kumar said, “We got permission from the court of special CBI Judge Pradeep Kumar, as Yadav is facing trial in a fodder scam case (pertaining to alleged fraudulent withdrawal of over Rs 139 crores from Doranda treasury) being heard by that court. My client also wrote to the home department that he should be allowed to travel to Delhi by flight. But the permission was denied. Even now, with his condition not very good, there is no doctor accompanying him on the train.”

RIMS Medical Superintendent S K Chowdhary said that the medical board assessed the health issues with Yadav and recommended him to be shifted to a higher centre. Yadav is suffering from high sugar levels, hypertension, besides a kidney stone.

Yadav has been convicted in three fodder scam cases since December 23, 2017, and has been sentenced to prison terms ranging from three-and-a-half years to 14 years. He was lodged in Birsa Munda Central jail on December 23. However, he was brought to RIMS on March 17 following health issues.

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