Ranchi/Patna: Jailed RJD chief Lalu Prasad was on Thursday released on a three-day parole after which he flew to Patna to attend his son's wedding on Saturday.
Prasad, 69, who has been convicted in three fodder scam cases by a special CBI court in Ranchi since December last year, had sought a five-day parole.
On arrival at Patna, the former Bihar chief minister was given a rousing welcome by family members and supporters.
His eldest daughter and Rajya Sabha member Misa Bharti, elder son Tej Pratap Yadav - who is tying the knot on Saturday - and the youngest offspring and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav were at the Jay Prakash Narayan Airport to receive their father.
The jailed RJD chief had been undergoing treatment at the RIMS hospital in the Jharkhand capital. He could not attend the engagement ceremony of his son in Patna on April 18 following which Tej Pratap had tweeted "Miss you PAPA".
Inspector General of Prison Harsh Mangla said at Ranchi on Thursday that Prasad has been granted parole for three days. When asked about Prasad being granted a three-day parole though he had prayed for five days, the Jharkhand Prison IG said, "We decided on the matter considering the need."
He, however, said that as per the rules, the travel time is not counted in the duration of the parole. Bhola Yadav, RJD General Secretary and a close aide of Prasad, accompanied him from Ranchi,. He said the RJD chief is likely to return to Ranchi on May 14 on completion of parole.
Tej Pratap Yadav's marriage with daughter of RJD MLA Chandrika Rai is scheduled on May 12 in Patna.
The RJD chief was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) In Delhi on March 29 for specialised treatment and was discharged on April 30. The hospital had said his condition had improved significantly but the former Bihar chief minister alleged a "political conspiracy" behind his discharge.
At Patna, the Indigo flight taken by RJD supremo arrived from Ranchi on schedule at about 6.40 PM. Prasad came out of the airport on a wheelchair minutes later.
A large posse of mediapersons waited outside, many of them for hours together, and made a frenetic bid to catch an image of the RJD leader on their cameras and mobile phones.
Prasad, flanked by his children and security personnel, was escorted to a white SUV which took him to 10, Circular Road, the bungalow allotted to his wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, a couple of kilometres away.