Lalu Prasad alleges 'political conspiracy' as AIIMS discharges him

Agencies
April 30, 2018

New Delhi, Apr 30: The AIIMS on Monday discharged RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, saying his condition has improved significantly, even as the former Bihar chief minister alleged a "political conspiracy" behind his discharge.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal president also wrote to the institute's director, asking him to continue his treatment at the facility till he recovers fully.

Supporters of Prasad created ruckus in the hospital premises protesting the AIIMS' decision, with his party alleging that there is a conspiracy to "murder" their leader by "forcing him out" of the premier hospital even though he continues to suffer from various ailments.

During the ruckus, the supporters broke a glass door, abused the security guards and administration officials, hospital sources alleged.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi met Prasad at AIIMS today and enquired about his health.

The RJD chief, who has been serving a jail term in connection with the fodder scam, was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on March 29 for specialised treatment.

The AIIMS, in an official statement on Monday, said, "Lalu Prasad was referred from Ranchi Medical College to AIIMS for management of his acute medical condition. He has improved significantly and as per the advice of the medical board constituted for his treatment, he is being referred back to Ranchi Medical College for management of his chronic issues. He is currently stable and is fit to travel."

The RJD chief had been admitted to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi on March 17 over complaints of uneasiness while he was lodged at the Birsa Munda Jail. Prasad has been serving a jail term since December 23.

Prasad, who was kept in a VIP room of the old private ward of the hospital, has written to the director of AIIMS, saying that he should not be relieved from AIIMS, Delhi and sent back to RIMS since the latter lacks facilities for proper treatment of his ailments.

Citing various ailments such as heart problems, diabetes, kidney infection, high blood pressure, the RJD supremo, in his letter to the director, said doctors should not act under pressure from certain individuals or political parties.

Urging the AIIMS director to allow him to continue his treatment at the institute till his recovery, Prasad said the AIIMS administration will be held responsible if something untoward happens to him after he is sent back to the hospital in Ranchi.

His party MP Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav alleged that the AIIMS appeared to be acting under the pressure of central agencies like the CBI.

"It seems there is a conspiracy to murder him. Why they are discharging him when he is not fit yet," Yadav said.

The former Bihar chief minister has been convicted in four fodder scam cases since 2013 -- the latest being the Dumka treasury case, in which a special CBI court sentenced him to 14 years in jail.

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News Network
July 11,2020

Kochi, Jul 11: Johnny Paul Pierce's five-month stay in Kerala has been a soul-soothing experience for 74-year-old US citizen. He now wants to spend the rest of his life here.

"Kerala is a beautiful place to live in. This is my fifth trip here. I usually stay here for six months. It is such a magical place to be and I want to share that with people from the US," Pierce told ANI.

He came to India on February 26 on a tourist visa and is staying at Kandanadu in Kochi.

According to Pierce's Advocate, his tourist visa is valid up to January 26, 2025. But on this visa, he can only stay consecutively for 180 days.

The guidelines of the Indian government permit continuous stay for only 180 days for foreigners on tourist visas. His 180 days were set to expire on August 24, which the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) extended to August 30.

The US citizen has approached the Kerala High Court seeking to convert his tourist visa into a business visa. The petition will be considered next week.

Pierce has sought a directive to the government to permit him to apply for the conversion of his tourist visa into a business visa and also to extend his stay, without having to leave the country.

"I am making a petition for an extra 180 days to stay. And I would also like to get a business visa in order to begin a tour company to bring people from the US to Kerala after the coronavirus. I wish my family could also come here. I am very impressed with what's is happening here. People in the US don't care about COVID-19," he said.

He talked about the risk of going back to his home country saying, "There are only 27 deaths in Kerala and in the US there over 1.3 lakh deaths. I do not want to go back to the US. I am 74 years old and I am at risk. This is a very safe place for me. I hope India embraces and allows me to stay."

"There's chaos in the US due to COVID-19 and government is not taking care like India. I want to stay here," he added.

Pierce further talked about his future plans, saying that if he is allowed to stay, he would like to lease a small resort and make a retirement community, which will be a COVID free zone.

Lastly, he made an appeal to the Indian government to let him stay in India saying that "all the immigration rules were made before COVID-19."

"There should be special consideration for people like me," he added.

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Agencies
July 30,2020

Kochi, Jul 30: The Kerala High Court on Thursday refused to grant the extension for the stay of a 74-year-old US citizen, Johnny Paul Pierce, who had earlier said that he felt safer to remain in India than in the United States amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The single-judge bench of Justice CS Dias, which considered the writ petition, observed that the grant or extension of visa to foreign nationals fall exclusively within the domain of the Government of India (GoI) and that judicial review in such matters is minimal.

The power of the GoI to expel foreigners is absolute and unlimited, the bench said.

"In view of the categoric declaration of law by the Supreme Court, the plea of the petitioner to permit him to stay back in India cannot be accepted, as it falls within the purview of the guidelines and the discretion of the Government of India," the order said.

"The petitioner cannot be heard that the guidelines/policies/regulations formulated by the Government of India, that an American national though has been granted a visa having validity of five years has to leave India within 180 days, is irrational or unreasonable," it added.

The High Court, which was hearing a plea to permit the US citizen to stay in India for a further period of six months, said that the petitioner does not have a case that there is an infraction of Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

"The petitioner was well aware of the visa conditions when he arrived in India, and it is too late in the day for him to raise a grievance on the visa conditions," the bench said noting that the petitioner's love for India was heartening.

The High Court also directed the Foreigners Registration Officer to consider the petitioner's representation within a period of two weeks in accordance with the applicable guidelines and policies.

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News Network
March 29,2020

New Delhi, Mar 29: The total number of COVID-19 positive cases rose to 1024 in the country, said Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday.

"The total number of COVID-19 positive cases rise to 1024 in India including 901 active cases, 96 cured/discharged/migrated people and 27 deaths," Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Tuesday announced a 21-day lockdown to stem the spread of COVID-19, which has left thousands dead around the world.

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