SC directs AIIMS to set up board to examine health condition of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed AIIMS to set up a medical board to examine the health condition of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha, currently lodged in Tihar Jail in a case registered against him under anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The Apex Court passed the order of forming the medical board, after his lawyer, Kapil Sibal, pleaded to the Apex Court that the 74-year-old accused's health condition is deteriorating and he was unwell.
"The only thing we want right now is that this court should call for medical report from the (Tihar) jail superintendent. The man is 74-year-old and is in great difficulty," Sibal had submitted to the Apex Court.
A two-judge bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice B R Gavai and also comprising Justice Sandeep Mehta pronounced the order today.
It asked the director of AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) New Delhi to constitute a team of medical board of experts and evaluate the health condition of Purkayastha and after accessing his condition, the AIIMS have to submit a report in two weeks to it.
The medical board shall also consider the jail records and complete medical history of the petitioner (Purkayastha), the Top Court said, in its order, and fixed the matter for further hearing after two weeks.
Sibal said that the medical report that has come does not include the situation he is confronted with in jail, which is on the record. We have no issues with an AIIMS evaluation. Jail record should also be sought.
Before pronouncing the order, the Apex Court noted that the a report from Board consisting of specialist medical officer Central Jail Tihar is received. It is submitted that the report does not show the true medical condition of the petitioner.
"Taking into consideration all this, it will be appropriate that the medical condition is examined by a board appointed by the AIIMS director. The board shall also consider the jail records and complete medical history of petitioner," it said.
The Delhi High Court had on October 13 dismissed the pleas filed by Purkayastha and the news portal's human resources department head Amit Chakravarty against their arrest and subsequent police remand in the case.
Both were arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police on October 3.
According to the FIR lodged in the case, huge funds came to the news portal allegedly from China to "disrupt the sovereignty of India" and cause disaffection against the country.
It also alleged that Purkayastha conspired with a group -- People's Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) -- to sabotage the electoral process during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.