Lalu Prasad gets bail in 2011 poll code violation case in Bihar

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad was granted bail by a court in Bihar's Siwan district on Friday in a 2011 case involving the alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct during an Assembly election campaign.

Prasad appeared before the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM)-I after warrants and a proclamation notice had been issued against him for repeatedly failing to attend court proceedings.

His lawyer, Kameshwar Tiwari, told reporters that the RJD leader had been unable to appear before the court earlier because of health-related problems and that his absence was not deliberate.

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀

"Lalu Prasad could not appear before the court earlier due to health issues; therefore, the reason behind not attending the court was not intentional. I informed the court about my client's condition. The court accepted his plea and granted him bail," Tiwari said.

The lawyer maintained that Prasad's failure to attend earlier hearings was not an attempt to evade judicial proceedings, but was attributable to his health condition.

After considering the explanation presented on his behalf, the court accepted his plea and granted him bail.

𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟭 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲

The case dates back to 2011, when Prasad allegedly addressed an election rally beyond the permitted campaigning hours on the final day of campaigning for the Daraunda Assembly constituency.

The alleged violation resulted in a case being registered against the RJD leader for breaching election campaign restrictions.

The other accused in the case, Parmeshwar Singh, who was the RJD candidate at the time, has since died.

The proceedings against Prasad had continued, with his repeated absence from court eventually leading to the issuance of warrants and a proclamation notice.

𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁

A large number of RJD supporters gathered outside the court premises in Siwan as Prasad appeared for the hearing.

Following the bail order, the RJD chief visited the residence of Osama Sahab, son of the late gangster-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin, and met members of his family.

Osama Sahab is the RJD MLA from the Raghunathpur Assembly constituency in Siwan.

Prasad's visit to the family followed his appearance before the court, bringing his trip to Siwan to a close after the bail proceedings.