Lalu Prasad’s health condition serious but stable : RIMS

The health condition of incarcerated RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, who is undergoing treatment at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) here, is serious but stable, a hospital official said on Monday.

The formidable political leader and former union minister was sentenced by a special CBI court to five years’ prison term and slapped with a fine of Rs 60 lakh during the day in connection with the embezzlement of Rs 139 crore from Doranda treasury in the fodder scam. The court had convicted Kumar on February 15 and pronounced the quantum of the sentence after virtually hearing the arguments.

“His (Lalu Prasad’s) blood sugar and blood pressure are fluctuating. The sugar level was recorded at 70 mg/dl in the morning but shot up to 240 mg/dl by the afternoon. His systolic blood pressure is fluctuating between 130 and 160,” Vidyapati, who heads a seven-member team of doctors formed by RIMS to take care of Prasad, told PTI.

The ebullient leader suffers from multiple ailments, including renal problems. He is a patient of stage-4 of kidney ailment. “His kidney is functioning at 20 per cent capacity. His health condition is being monitored closely,” Vidyapati said.

After his conviction in Rs 139.35 crore Doranda treasury embezzlement case, the fifth and final one against him in the multi-crore rupees fodder scam, the ailing 73-year old former Bihar chief minister was lodged in the Birsa Munda Central Jail and then shifted to state-run RIMS on health grounds. In jail since December 2017, Prasad served most of his sentence period at the RIMS. He was taken to All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi in January last year after his health condition deteriorated. Prasad’s counsel said they will appeal against the order in the High Court. He has already completed 36 months of his jail term.

Prasad had earlier been sentenced to 14 years in jail in four other fodder scam cases. The final case was related to the withdrawals of Rs 139.35 crore from Doranda treasury during his tenure as the chief minister of undivided Bihar.