Patna: Gloom descended on Lalu Prasad's 10 Circular Road residence when it was confirmed that the RJD chief's parole application for attending the wedding of his elder son Tej Pratap Yadav was stuck in the administrative corridors of Ranchi.
Lalu is currently lodged in Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, under judicial custody following his conviction in the fodder scam cases.
"My client has applied for parole from May 10 to 15 to participate in the marriage ceremony of his elder son Tej Pratap Yadav. So far we don't have any information whether the (Jharkhand) home department has taken any decision on his application or not. However, Lalu Prasad is entitled to get parole as the rule categorically mentions that a convict or an undertrial can be released on parole to attend last rites, marriage in the family and the like," said senior lawyer Prabhat Kumar.
Neither Jharkhand principal secretary, home, S.K.G. Rahate nor inspector-general (jail) Harsh Mangal responded to text messages and phone calls from The Telegraph. On being contacted, superintendent of Birsa Munda Central Jail, Ranchi, A.K. Choudhary, told The Telegraph late on Wednesday afternoon that so far he hadn't received any order from the home department for Lalu's release on parole. Lalu was supposed to get parole on Wednesday after RIMS authorities declared him physically fit to travel.
Since morning, RJD workers and leaders had been making a beeline for 10 Circular Road in anticipation of Lalu's arrival. Tej Pratap is set to tie the knot with Aishwarya Rai, daughter of former minister Chandrika Rai, on May 12.
A family member said a senior officer of the Jharkhand government had contacted Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaaj with a query on what preparations had been taken to counter any adverse law and order situation arising out of Lalu's visit.
Maharaaj told The Telegraph: "We are ready to provide security to Lalu Prasad during his visit to Patna. We have already sent a report to the authorities concerned."
All RJD MLAs have been asked not to speak on the issue or make any statement against the Jharkhand government which could hamper chances of Lalu getting parole on Thursday.
"I will not speak on Lalu ji's parole, let us wait. Very soon Laluji will be with us," said RJD MLA from Maner Bhai Birendra before entering 10 Circular Road.
Some RJD MLAs have made a suggestion to the party's Bihar unit president Ram Chandra Purbey that they collect money to bring Lalu by a chartered aircraft in case their boss gets parole in the first half of Thursday.
"There is only one flight from Ranchi to Patna, that too in the evening. It reaches Patna around 7pm. So if Lalu ji gets parole in the first half, we can bring him to Patna by hiring a chartered flight," said an RJD MLA who did not wish to be named.
Additional reporting by Ramashankar and our Ranchi bureau
