Patna: A sombre-looking Lalu Prasad evaded questions on arrival from Mumbai while aide Bhola Yadav said his life was at risk due to an infection.

The RJD chief, who was admitted at Asian Heart Institute (AHI) in Mumbai, returned to Patna on Saturday after Jharkhand High Court refused to extend his provisional bail, asking him to surrender by August 30. The ailing Lalu, suffering from diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney failure and other ailments, reached Patna airport at 1.40pm along with his confidant and MLA Bhola Yadav, who was taking care of him in Mumbai.

Many of his supporters were at the airport to welcome him. Lalu came out on wheel chair and Bhola helped him get into an SUV.

Asked about his health, Lalu said he was not keeping well and requested journalists not to ask questions as the provisional bail conditions do not allow him to speak to journalists. Many from the electronic media asked him about the Muzaffarpur shelter home case but Lalu only said: "I'm not permitted to speak to the media. Please do not ask me anything. I am not well."

Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a chargesheet against Lalu, his wife Rabri Devi and younger son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.

Asked about the advice given by doctors, Bhola told The Telegraph, "Doctors have advised him to take special care of his infection and not get infected with anything that can prove risky for his life. He has been asked to follow a diet chart and further treatment will take place at a place where there is no risk of any infection. He can meet people only from a certain distance."

When Lalu reached his 10, Circular Road residence, his room was sanitised. All beds, pillow and sofa covers were changed. Rabri Devi sat beside Lalu's feet, holding his leg.

"The infection Lalu ji contracted in jail has not yet gone completely," Bhola said. "There is a risk to his life. The infection sometimes improves and sometimes gets worse. It is not an ordinary thing. It was the same with Atal Bihar Vajpayeeji, who died as proper care was not taken. Lalu's valve is artificial, as he has undergone tbypass surgery and even a mild infection can affect it."

Lalu's chronic kidney problem is in the third stage and transplant is the only option in the fourth stage. Bhola stressed that proper care was needed to ensure the infection does not affect his kidney. "The next two operations for Lalu include one for prostate and another for cataract and these cannot take place until the infection is controlled," Bhola said, adding that his kidney will not improve until the infection is controlled.

Tejashwi said RJD workers and leaders are worried about Lalu's health.

'Respect court order'

"We respect the court order and will always give respect to the court. I do not want to comment on the court order and my father will obey it," Tejashwi said. "There are people having parrots (read central investigative agencies like CBI, ED and IT) in their hands and they are using those to meet their political agenda. They use these parrots to threaten leaders of Opposition parties but the people of Bihar will give them a befitting reply."