Monday, June 26 2006 17:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: The Patna High Court today (June 26, 2006) sought a reply from the Bihar government by July three on a petition byRJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin seeking immediate neuro-surgical treatment for his slipped disc problem at AIIMS in Delhi or Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai.

Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad directed the state government to file a counter-affidavit by July three on Shahabuddin's contention that the government was ignoring his over 10-year-old spinal problem which had aggravated from May 10, two days after he was shifted to Siwan from Bhagalpur. He said he faced the risk of being 'paralysed for life'.

The MP, facing over three dozen criminal cases, including those of kidnapping, murder, arms act, violations of the wildlife act, was shifted to Siwan divisional jail from Bhagalpur jail on May 8 by road.

Shahabuddin's counsel Y V Giri told the court that the Siwan district medical board had recommended specialized medical treatment for the MP outside the district, but the Bihar government was 'ignoring' the seriousness of the problem.

He termed as 'eyewash' the visit of a five-member team of the state medical board to Siwan last Friday which conducted a detailed medical examination of the MP. It had recommended that he could be treated in the divisional jail itself.

Giri alleged that a section of officials had forced the state medical board to give a report which went against the interest of the MP and said his client was ready to bear the cost of his treatment outside Siwan.

Government advocate Uday Bhanu Roy argued that there was no reason to disbelieve the report of the state medical board on the MP's health.