HC seeks govt reply on Saibaba bail plea

Nagpur: Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on Monday directed the Maharashtra government to reply on Naxalite ideologue GN Saibaba’s demand for releasing him on bail for medical treatment based on medical check up by doctor of his choice.
The HC directed special public prosecutor (SPP) Prashant Sathianathan to submit a reply in two weeks on a pursis filed by the Delhi University professor who underwent medical examination at Super Specialty Hospital (SSH) on December 26 by a doctor of his choice.

After prosecution opposed Saibaba’s choice of doctors alleging them to have Naxalite links, two of three doctors named by him backed out. He had named senior resident doctor at AIIMS’ Department of Geriatric Medicine Dr Haji Bhatti along with neuro surgeon at Kazipet Dr N Prasad and interventional cardiologist at Spandana Hospital in Khamam Dr Gopinath to conduct his medical examination. Only Dr Gopinath turned up on the scheduled date.

While denying Aheri Police’s application opposing polio-afflicted teacher’s choice of doctors, HC’s vacation bench had laid down stringent conditions on the visiting doctors like communicating only in English and Hindi, thorough frisking, videographing the entire process, and presence of two doctors from either Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) or SSH.

The court was hearing a petition from Saibaba praying for two months’ bail for submitting all his medical reports and undergoing check up by his family doctors at Hyderabad and Khamam. He refused to undergo any check up or surgery by the doctors at GMCH, Nagpur.

Saibaba, who was convicted by the Gadchiroli sessions court on March 7, 2017, filed many applications for bail citing grounds of ill-health. With 90% disability, he contended his condition was deteriorating and he also suffered from many ailments. He said he regularly needed physiotherapy, occupational therapy and hydrotherapy. He pointed out the prison lacked proper facilities for disabled persons like him, room where he is kept was unhygienic, and even flooring was not levelled that creates several problem for him to move on his wheelchair.