Lalu set to be moved to swanky bungalow on hosp campus

Ranchi: Incarcerated RJD president Lalu Prasad is likely to be shifted from Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims) to the swanky official residence of the hospital director, in a couple of days. The hospital authorities have decided to shift the former Bihar CM former to Kelly’s Bungalow on the hospital premises, after doctors treating him submitted a proposal to move him to an isolated area to prevent him from getting infected with Covid-19.
Talking to TOI, Dr Umesh Prasad, professor of medicine at Rims assigned by the Jharkhand high court to treat Lalu, said they had sent the proposal on Wednesday and are awaiting an approval. “Laluji’s is on the first floor of the paying ward and the second and third floor are being used to treat Covid-19 patients. Moreover, three of his personal caretakers tested positive for the virus on July 25. We have decided to move him to protect him from getting infected.”
On being asked if the doctors had suggested the bungalow as an accommodation option for Lalu, Prasad said: “I have not recommended any place and it is up to the jail authorities to shift him any appropriate place. I have only asked for him to be moved as I am answerable to the court about his health. However, Kelly’s Bungalow is suitable for him as he can also take a stroll there, which is essential for a diabetic patient.”
The single-floor British era bungalow is built on a 25-acre area and has four bedrooms, two dining spaces, a study, two large verandahs and a kitchen. Its sprawling garden has various fruit-bearing trees kinds.
On Friday morning, Ranchi city SP Saurabh conducted an inspection of Kelly’s Bungalow as part of a security assessment drive. “We have been asked to carry out a security audit of the residence inside and if the government does decided to shift him here, adequate cover will be provided to the campus.”
While assistant IG (jail) Tushar Ranjan said he has not moved any proposal to shift Lalu and the security audit was probably done on request from Hotwar Central Jail and they are yet to receive a copy of same, sources in Rims said Lalu’s shifting to the bungalow, which has been vacant since former Rims director Dr D K Singh was relieved from his position, is more or less confirmed.
Lalu was convicted in a fodder scam case in December, 2017, and was lodged at Birsa Munda central jail in Ranchi. He spent just about two months in the prison before he was shifted to Rims due to deteriorating health conditions. Though he has been suffering from many diseases, including kidney ailments, Type 2 diabetes and hypertension are the main concerns. He was referred to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, for some months before being sent back to the city hospital in May 2018.
The opposition BJP said the decision to shift Lalu was taken because “he gets preferential treatment from the JMM-Congress-RJD mahagathbandhan government and has access to VIP facilities even though he is a convicted prisoner”.
State BJP spokesperson Kunal Sarangi said, “We wish for Lalu’s good health, but we have seen rampant and blatant violations of jail manual at the hospital. He has often been seen using mobile phones and holding meetings with his RJD functionaries. Poor patients are being left to fend for themselves amid this pandemic, but the Hemant Soren government is shifting as person convicted of large-scale corruption to a plush government bungalow.”