The BJP has started sharpening its claws against Rashtriya Janata Dal chief and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, a convict in the fodder scam, for getting “state guest” stature in Jharkhand, with political attention riveted on the Assembly polls in the neighbouring state in October.

BJP state spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo in a series of tweets on Monday criticised the Jharkhand government for according special privileges to Lalu, who is undergoing treatment under custody.

“There is blatant violation of jail manual in the case of Lalu Yadav who is a convict in a case. Unfortunately, jail IG stated that RIMS director’s bungalow is not a part of jail whereas Ranchi High Court had ruled that treatment of Lalu Yadavji should be done in custody. The jail manual clearly states that any meeting with a convict undergoing treatment should be held in the presence of an official not below the rank of an assistant jailer and with the written permission of the jail superintendent. However, we have seen that people are meeting Lalu Yadavji without any permission. The jail manual further states that if there is violation of special privileges given to a convict then the facilities should be withdrawn. But it seems Jharkhand government has accorded him state guest status,” said Shah Deo.

Significantly, Lalu was shifted from the paying ward of the Ranchi-based Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) to the institute director’s bungalow in August this year to protect him from exposure to Covid-19 infection after a few security guards posted at the paying wards tested positive for coronavirus.

There have been reports of RJD leaders from Bihar trying to meet Lalu even at night to discuss political strategies for the Assembly polls.

Jharkhand inspector-general of police (prison) Virendra Bhusan claimed that the jail manual does not apply to the RIMS director’s bungalow. “The RIMS director’s bungalow is not a part of the jail and the manual does not apply there. However, we are looking into the allegation labelled against Lalu Prasad,” he said.