Surrender by Aug 30, Jharkhand HC tells ailing Lalu

In a severe setback to RJD president Lalu Prasad, the Jharkhand High Court on Friday refused to extend his bail and asked him to surrender by August 30. Lalu, who is at present undergoing treatment at Asian Heart Institute in Mumbai for several ailments, is on bail till August 27 on health grounds.

Lalu’s lawyer pleaded before the HC to extend his bail for another three months as the RJD chief had not recovered after his fistula surgery. “We prayed before the High Court that since Lalu is diabetic and has not recovered, his bail may be extended by another three months. But the single judge bench of Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh said that Lalu will have to surrender by August 30 and his further treatment could go on in Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi,” said Prabhat Kumar, Lalu’s lawyer.

Lalu, who has been convicted and jailed in different fodder scam cases, is reported to be suffering from hypertension, chronic kidney disease and hypertrophy of prostate. Earlier, he was operated upon for aortic valve replacement, closure of patent foramen ovale (hole in the heart) and aortoplasty. The latest surgery was related to fistulectomy.

“We have heard about the High Court ruling. Lalu ji has always followed the court direction. This time too, he will abide by the directive and surrender,” RJD national vice-president Shivanand Tiwary told Deccan Herald here on Friday. He, however, added that Lalu’s failing health was a matter of concern for the family members as well as for the partymen.