RANCHI: The Jharkhand high court on Friday made a stern observation against the state government for “not following the law” while providing treatment to RJD chief Lalu Prasad at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims).
The high court also said that the state ought to practice the norms “rather than provide facilities to people with connections”.
The court of Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh was hearing a petition on the violation of the jail manual in terms of providing treatment to Lalu while he was kept at the Rims director’s bungalow to avoid contraction of Covid-19.
The court asked the government whether other options were explored before shifting Lalu to the director’s bungalow and ordered to file an affidavit on it. The case will be heard again on January 22.
Meanwhile, the government counsel informed the court that there is no specific norm prescribed in the jail manual about dealing with a prisoner after he is shifted from jail to a hospital. “The government is preparing a ‘standard operating procedure’ for the same which will also be tabled before the high court,” the counsel informed.
The manual is also silent on the point as to whether a caretaker can be allowed to help the prisoner during his detention at a hospital. The court had taken note of media reports highlighting the misuse of the jail manual by freely meeting party workers. It was also reported that having been convicted by a court of law, Lalu has a caretaker with him to help him with his daily life in gross violation of the manual.