Lalu Prasad reaching Delhi for treatment at AIIMS

RANCHI: RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, who is serving jail term here since December 23 in a fodder scam case, has left for New Delhi on medical advice for specialised treatment at AIIMS, New Delhi, a senior RJD leader said.

Prasad had been admitted to Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) here on March 17 on complaints of uneasiness at Birsa Munda Jail and left for New Delhi yesterday by train after a Special CBI court allowed him to seek treatment at Delhi AIIMS.

"He boarded the Ranchi-New Delhi Rajdhani Express yesterday evening and is scheduled to reach Delhi today," RJD leader Bhola Prasad, who is accompanying Prasad, told PTI.Senior advocate Chittaranjan Sinha, who has been handling the fodder scam cases for Prasad from the very beginning, said the 69-year-old RJD chief is suffering from diabetes, high creatinine levels and blood pressure. 

"His condition was not suitable for flying and the doctors at RIMS advised him to travel by train," Sinha said.

A medical board at the RIMS where Prasad was being treated decided to refer him to the AIIMS for better treatment, hospital Director R K Srivastav said.

The former chief minister had been convicted in four fodder scam cases since 2013 - the latest being the Dumka treasury case, in which a special CBI court sentenced him to 14 years of imprisonment.

The Jharkhand High Court is to hear on April 6 his bail plea in the connection with his conviction in the third fodder scam - RC 68A/96 case - pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.62 crore from Chaibasa Treasury, advocate Sinha said.