Wednesday, June 7 2006 12:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Siwan (Bihar): Setting aside convention, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today (June 7,2006) met Mohammed Shahabuddin in Siwan jail to inquire about the health of the controversial RJD Lok Sabha member who is reportedly suffering from a serious spinal problem.

Lalu, accompanied by his brother-in-law and Gopalganj MP Aniruddh Prasad alias Sadhu Yadav and former Union minister and Lok Sabha member from Munger Jaiprakash Narain Yadav,visited the prison and spent an hour with Shahabuddin.

Though the two MPs accompanied Lalu till the jail entrance, they did not go inside.

Later, speaking to reporters, Lalu, also the RJD president, expressed unhappiness over the treatment of the incarcerated Siwan strongman facing several criminal charges including that of sedition.

"He is practically getting no medical treatment here. Shahabuddin is indeed suffering from a serious lumbar problem which is not new and is not making false excuse to get out of jail for treatment," he said.

The minister demanded that a medical board comprising experts be constituted at the earliest and Shahabuddin sent to Patna or outside Bihar for proper treatment.

"I came here just to meet my ailing party MP and no political motive should be read into it," he said.

Referring to Shahabuddin's repeated failure to appear before the court in connection with the cases pending against him, Lalu said, "He is not faking illness. He is really ill and so is unable to appear before court."