Sushil Modi livid over Lalu's 'political meetings'; seeks bail

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil

Kumar Modi today took strong exception to RJD chief Lalu Prasad's political meetings with leaders of the Congress and TDP, and urged the CBI to seek cancellation of his provisional bail granted by the Jharkhand High Court for medical treatment.

The senior BJP leader's outbursts came a day after a group of TDP lawmakers had met Prasad at his residence and sought RJD support to their proposed no-confidence motion against the NDA government at the Centre.

"Lalu Prasad was granted bail on condition of staying away from any type of political activity. However, he has been violating the bail conditions. First, he interacted with Congress leader Ashok Gehlot and then he held discussions with TDP MPs", the Bihar Deputy CM said in a statement.

 

Gehlot, who was in the Bihar capital last week, had met the RJD supremo on July 12. The same day BJP chief Amit Shah was in Patna to have breakfast and dinner meetings with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

"The TDP lawmakers visited Prasad's residence under the pretext of a courtesy call but ended up seeking his party's support for a no-confidence motion to be brought in the monsoon session of the Parliament. They also submitted a memorandum addressed to Prasad's son and leader of opposition in Bihar assembly Tejashwi Yadav," Modi said.

"Leaders in both the TDP and the RJD have confirmed that Prasad held talks that were political in nature. These prove that he does not care about the conditions laid down by the court for his bail," he said.

Sushil also alleged, "the RJD supremo's action is tantamount to contempt of court. Earlier, many leaders of his party have indulged in contempt of court by questioning his conviction in fodder scam cases and accusing the judiciary of acting out of a caste bias".

"Having been convicted in the fodder scam, Prasad stands disqualified from contesting elections. His bail petition was rejected by the CBI court which remarked that he could not be released for doing politics and roaming about perched atop an elephant. The CBI now must take a decision at the earliest after reviewing his health and his activities while out of prison", the BJP leader said.

The Jharkhand High Court had on June 29 extended the provisional bail of RJD leader Lalu Prasad for another six weeks till August 17 on medical grounds in fodder scam cases.

He is presently putting up at his wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi's 10 Circular road bungalow in Patna after undergoing operation for fistula at a Mumbai hospital recently.

Prasad had met Congress president Rahul Gandhi on

April 30 at AIIMS in Delhi, where he was undergoing treatment for several ailments, while serving his sentence. The RJD chief was later discharged and sent back to Ranchi jail.