Last Friday, the court had issued notices to the NIA and Maharashtra government seeking their response to the plea by July 17 — the next date of hearing.
Poet-activist Varavara Rao has tested positive for Covid-19. The 80-year old, named as accused in the Elgar Parishad case, was shifted to state-run JJ Hospital from Taloja central jail where he was lodged after he complained of dizziness. The hospital conducted tests including one for Covid-19 the results for which confirmed that he is positive.
Dr Ranjit Mankeshwar, the dean of JJ Hospital, said, “He has shown no symptoms of Covid-19 so far. He has no breathing difficulty and is stable. We will soon shift him to a Covid hospital.” Rao is likely to be shifted to St George hospital.
Also Read | A case for bail
Last week, Rao’s family had held a press conference after receiving a call from him from prison. His family had then said that his condition was deteriorating and he should be provided immediate medical aid. He was earlier shifted to the hospital when he fell unconscious in jail in May but was discharged within three days. The family had said that he was not provided proper medical treatment.
Last month, a special court had rejected his interim bail plea where he had cited his susceptibility to the virus due to his age and other medical conditions. The court, however, had said the superintendent of prison has been directed to take appropriate measures in such cases where medical attention is required. Before he was shifted to the hospital on Tuesday, Rao was admitted to the hospital ward of the jail and as he had been unable to do basic chores without depending on other inmates.
An appeal against the special court’s order is pending before the Bombay High Court. The plea is likely to be heard tomorrow.
Provide treatment to Dr GN Saibaba: NPRD
The National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) has condemned “the insensitive manner in which the governments at the Centre and Maharashtra are dealing with jailed human rights activists”.
A statement signed by Muralidharan, general secretary of the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD), says: “Particularly deplorable is the handling of prisoners like Prof. GN Saibaba, violating all international conventions, as also domestic laws like the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, prison manuals etc. A person with 90 per cent disability, Dr. Saibaba has 19 serious health conditions, some of which are life threatening.”
Prof Saibaba is lodged in the Nagpur Central Jail over alleged Maoist links.
“Given the utterly deplorable conditions and overcrowding in the Nagpur Central Jail, were many guards and prisoners (one even close to his cell) have been infected with the dreaded Covid-19, there is every possibility that he may get catch the virus. This may prove dangerous given his co-morbidities,” the statement adds.
“Given these circumstances, we demand upon the Central & Maharashtra governments to release him on bail immediately for facilitating his treatment at a facility of his choice,” it says.