Express News Service
PATNA: Jailed RJD chief and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav was on Friday granted a six-week provisional bail by Jharkhand High Court for undergoing medical treatment at specialised institutes.
The bail came as a big relief for the ailing 69-year-old leader, his family and the party. Yadav has been lodged in jail since December 23 last after being convicted in five cases of Bihar’s Rs 1,000-crore fodder scam. He was granted a three-day parole by the Jharkhand government just a day ago to attend his elder son Tej Pratap Yadav’s wedding ceremony slated for May 12. He reached his Patna home from Ranchi on Thursday evening.
While the RJD chief had sought three months bail to seek better treatment for a host of health complications he is facing, Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh of Jharkhand High Court granted bail for a month and a half. Senior lawyer and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued on behalf of Yadav at the high court.
As per the parole conditions, Yadav would spend time with his family in Patna from May 11 to 13. Now, after being granted the provisional bail, he would leave for Ranchi on May 14 and then avail of the bail, said Prabhat Kumar one of his lawyers in Ranchi.
“We knew all along that justice will prevail. Our leader has finally been granted provisional bail by the higher judiciary for the critical treatment that he badly needs,” said RJD national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Manoj Jha.
In another development that brought cheers for the RJD chief’s family, his younger son and Bihar Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav and three other leaders got relief from Jharkhand High Court in a case of criminal contempt. The contempt notice was issued by a CBI special court in Ranchi for statements Tejashwi and the others had made about the judiciary after the conviction of the RJD chief.
Lalu Prasad Yadav’s wife and former CM Rabri Devi, who was elected an MLC last month, was on Friday named leader of Opposition in Bihar Legislative Council.
Lalu-Rabri’s elder son and former Bihar health minister Tej Pratap Yadav is tying the knot with Aishwarya Rai, the elder daughter of former Bihar minister and RJD leade Chandrika Rai, on May 12 in Patna. Aishwarya is granddaughter of former Bihar CM Daroga Prasad Rai.
