Laloo shifted to Central Jail

PATNA, Nov 27 (PTI) — Former Bihar Chief Ministers Laloo Prasad Yadav and Jagannath Mishra were tonight shifted to Beur Adarsh Central Jail amid tight security after the Supreme Court ordered earlier in the day that they be shifted there immediately.

Mr Yadav and Mr Mishra were driven in a bullet proof car at 9 pm from the Bihar Military Police guest house, the make-shift jail.

A three-judge Supreme Court Bench headed by Mr Justice MK Mukherjee, hearing the bail pleas of the fodder scam accused, had expressed serious concern at the privileged treatment being given to Mr Yadav and Mr Mishra by lodging them in a guest house in judicial custody, while the other accused in the case were housed in Central Jail.

The Bench directed the Inspector-General (Prisons) of Bihar to take immediate steps to shift the two former Chief Ministers from the guest house to the Central Jail and "file a compliance report by Saturday".

As the news about the apex court order reached the state Capital, top state officials discussed the situation since Chief Minister Rabri Devi was holding a routine Cabinet meeting.

The meeting ended abruptly with Ms Rabri Devi rushing to the Bihar military police guest house.

In a sharp contrast to earlier occasions when Mr Yadav’s remand in judicial custody triggered protests by ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal workers, not a single RJD supporter was sighted either near the BMP guest house or Beur Jail.

Mr Yadav’s brothers-in-law, Mr Sadhu Yadav and Mr Subhash Yadav and a few ministers, however, were present at the gate of Beur Jail when they arrived.

The vehicles stopped at the entrance and the two leaders entered through the narrow gate meant for ordinary prisoners.

Despite getting information of the apex court order, top state officials swung into action only after receiving the official communiqué from the Supreme Court.

A senior Bihar government official said on condition of anonymity that a barrack inside the jail premises was cleared and cleaned to accommodate them.

The Supreme Court had said lodging Mr Yadav and Mr Mishra in a make-shift jail at the guest house was worrying the court and was a clear case of discrimination when the other accused were lodged in Beur Jail.

The discrimination was coming in the way of the court to exercise the discretion of granting bail to the accused, the Bench observed.

The Bench indicated that after they were shifted to jail, the petitions for bail would be considered. "Before we decide these petitions on their merits, we want to ensure the compliance of the order of the Special Judge directing the lodging of the petitioners in Beur Central Jail in judicial custody."

Earlier, the CBI submitted before the Supreme Court that Mr Yadav, lodged in a guest house at Patna for his alleged role in the Rs 950 crore fodder scam, was the "de facto" Chief Minister of Bihar.